IPL 2026: Why are Phil Salt and Sai Kishore not playing RCB vs GT Final in Ahmedabad?

The IPL 2026 final between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans began with two notable names missing from the starting XIs. Phil Salt was not included in RCB's XI despite returning to India after scans, while Gujarat Titans left out R Sai Kishore from their starting combination.

In a final where RCB are chasing back-to-back titles and GT are looking for their second crown, both calls immediately stood out. But the reasons are different: Salt's absence is linked to fitness and RCB’s settled balance, while Sai Kishore remains a tactical Impact Player option rather than a full exclusion.

Why Phil Salt is not playing RCB vs GT IPL 2026 final

Salt is not playing the IPL 2026 final because he has still not fully returned to RCB’s first-choice match rhythm after his hand injury.

Salt injured his hand in the middle of the tournament and went back home for scans. He later returned, but RCB have continued without him, suggesting he may not be fully fit or ready for a high-pressure final.

In his absence, RCB have trusted their existing batting structure. Venkatesh Iyer has done a useful job in the role, including his quick 19 off 9 balls in Qualifier 1 against the same opposition, where he hit the first two balls for boundaries and helped RCB start aggressively.

RCB have also stayed unchanged from their Qualifier 1 win over GT. That result was a huge factor. When a team wins a playoff by 92 runs, there is little reason to disturb the XI unless a player is fully fit and clearly improves the balance.

RCB vs GT IPL 2026 final: Why Sai Kishore is not starting for Gujarat Titans

R Sai Kishore is not in Gujarat Titans’ starting XI because GT have gone with Arshad Khan in their main combination, but Sai Kishore is still part of their Impact Player bench.

That means he has not been completely ruled out of the match. Gujarat can still bring him in if the pitch starts gripping or if they feel an extra spinner is needed during the second innings.

GT brought Arshad Khan back after he had missed the last two games, where Kulwant Khejroliya and Sai Kishore had been used. The return of Arshad suggests Gujarat wanted a left-arm pace option and batting depth in the starting XI.

If the Ahmedabad surface stays good for batting, Prasidh Krishna is more likely to be used as the Impact Player when GT defend. But if the pitch slows down and offers turn, Sai Kishore becomes the tactical emergency spin option.

Playing XIs for RCB vs GT IPL 2026 Final

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Playing XI: Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Krunal Pandya, Tim David, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Romario Shepherd, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jacob Duffy, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Salam.

RCB impact players: Venkatesh Iyer, Kanishk Chohan, Swapnil Singh, Abhinandan Singh, Jordan Cox.

Gujarat Titans Playing XI: Shubman Gill (c), B Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (wk), Washington Sundar, Nishant Sindhu, Jason Holder, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Arshad Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj.

GT impact players: Prasidh Krishna, Glenn Phillips, Anuj Rawat, Kumar Kushagra, R Sai Kishore.

RCB were the designated home team as defending champions, even though the final is being played at GT's regular home venue in Ahmedabad. Rajat Patidar tossed the coin, Shubman Gill called wrong, and RCB chose to bowl first. GT, interestingly, also wanted to bat first after their Qualifier 1 loss came while chasing. So the toss result did not drastically alter either team’s preferred plan.

Also READ: IPL 2026 Final Live Streaming: When and Where to watch RCB vs GT outside India