The shift in the IPL title match venue from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad was announced well before the two finalists were known. But as it turned out, the two teams most invested in this decision have made it to the marquee clash.

Luck favoured the Gujarat Titans, which will now enjoy playing at home on Sunday (May 31, 2026). “There are advantages, because there’s a little bit of familiarity. There is familiarity when we play in Ahmedabad. We know the wicket, we know the ground, we know the kind of cricket we need to play to win,” GT captain Shubman Gill said ahead of the final.

Perhaps alluding to the crucial catches dropped by his unit in recent matches, Gill stated that “the team that fields better is going to win the final”.

The skipper has forged a formidable opening combination with Sai Sudharsan, a batter he rates highly. “To have the same intensity in all matches and be consistent in your preparation is not easy. Sai is very consistent in his routines, in his life outside of cricket. That is what makes him consistent on the field as well,” Gill said.