IPL 2026: GT vs RCB, Final - Who will be Impact Players for today's match?

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) take on the Gujarat Titans (GT) in the Final of the 2026 Indian Premier League at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. 

The defending champions beat the Titans in Qualifier 1, where they successfully defended a mammoth total of 254 and won by 92 runs. They have faced the Titans thrice this season and have won two of those encounters. Despite this, they will be wary of the fact that they were beaten by the Titans at this venue. They will be looking to become the third team in IPL history to successfully defend their maiden crown. 

The Titans come on the back of a dominant seven-wicket victory in their Qualifier 2 encounter against the Rajasthan Royals. They chased down a sizable target of 215 with skipper Shubman Gill scoring a brilliant century. They are playing their third final in Ahmedabad and will be looking to lift their second IPL crown.

Here are the potential impact players for both teams in IPL 2026 Final:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB):

Romario Shepherd: The big-hitting West Indian all-rounder was named as an impact player but came on during the fielding innings. He has had an underwhelming season with the bat but has been a reliable sixth bowler.

Suyash Sharma: The leg spinner has been a go-to option for the defending champions since 2025, and has picked up nine wickets at an economy of 9.21.

Jordan Cox: The wicketkeeper-batter is one of the most exciting T20 players from England, but has yet to feature for RCB.

Kanishk Chohan: The all-rounder was part of the 2026 U-19 WC-winning quad but has yet to feature for RCB in 2026.

Abhinandan Singh: The seamer played in the first three games of the season, picking up three wickets, but was constantly leaking runs. 

Gujarat Titans (GT):

Rahul Tewatia: He has been the regular impact player for the Titans, coming in as a finisher. He has scored 183 runs at a strike rate of 144.09 and scored his first half-century of the season in Qualifier 1.

Glenn Phillips: The New Zealand all-rounder started the season for the Titans, but due to poor returns, was benched for Jason Holder, who has been a key player for the team since his start.

Anuj Rawat: The wicketkeeper-batter from Delhi has played for RCB in the past and is a handy middle-order batter. He has yet to feature for the Titans in IPL 2026. 

Kumar Kushagra: The young batter from Jharkhand made his debut for the Titans early in the season as an injury replacement for skipper Shubman Gill.

Arshad Khan: The left-arm pacer has been a reliable backup for the Titans, picking up five wickets in seven games. He picked up figures of 3 for 22 when these two sides met the last time at this venue.

Expert opinions and strategies: 

Home Advantage: The Titans enter with the home advantage due to Ahmedabad being their home venue.

Recent Form: The teams have met thrice in IPL 2026, with RCB holding a 2-1 lead and winning the last encounter.

Balanced Side: RCB have been one of the most balanced sides in the tournament, successfully ticking every box. The Titans have a significant lack of depth in their middle order, and due to this, the visiting team enters as the more balanced side.

Final Prediction: The Royal Challengers Bengaluru enter this clash as favourites due to the recent record between the two teams and the balance of their side.