Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) handed a surprise opportunity to young England all-rounder Jacob Bethell in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 match against Gujarat Titans (GT) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. A last minute injury to Phil Salt forced a change and fans couldn’t contain their excitement on social media. RCB skipper Rajat Patidar won the toss and opted to bowl first on a surface that initially looked tricky.
Rajat Patidar during the toss
At the toss, RCB skipper Rajat Patidar kept things straightforward while revealing a big news. He said the pitch will initially favor the bowlers and that the chase will give his side clear targets.
“I feel this will be the first pitch. And as you all know the chase gives us a lot of clarity about the result, the score and the total. One change: Salty is injured, Bethell is on. I think one great point that I like is that we are evaluating the wicket this year and evaluating the situation quite well. And of course there is a lot of planning behind it at M Chin’na. The stadium, it is a good batting wicket, but I think there is no grass on it, so the first innings it can be a bit tacky,” explained Patidar.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru playing XI and Impact Subs
RCB Playing XI: Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (w), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam Dar.
Impact Subs: Jacob Bethell, Jordan Cox, Mangesh Yadav, Vicky Ostwal, Venkatesh Iyer.
Social media is reacting with a massive uproar
As soon as the teams were announced, the X lit up. The fans celebrated the inclusion of Jacob Bethell.
This is more than just a replacement. RCB have shown smart planning throughout the season by reading the conditions quickly. Bringing in Jacob Bethell keeps the team flexible and gives the bench a chance to prove itself. With big hitters like Tim David and Romario Shepherd already in the mix, the side looks set to chase down any total set by Gujarat Titans.
The move also highlights how injuries can open doors. Bethell has impressed in T20 Internationals and now has the perfect stage to make it big in IPL 2026.
