Sunil Gavaskar questions IPL final schedule

A debate over the scheduling of the IPL 2026 final has emerged after former India captain Sunil Gavaskar raised concerns about the preparation time available to Gujarat Titans ahead of the title clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

The discussion began after Gujarat Titans faced travel delays while returning to Ahmedabad following their Qualifier 2 victory over Rajasthan Royals in Chandigarh. Due to bad weather and heavy rain in parts of north-west India, the team’s chartered flight was delayed, and the players reportedly reached their hotel late on Saturday night, less than 24 hours before the final.

In contrast, RCB had been in Ahmedabad since Tuesday after securing their place in the final through Qualifier 1. This gave the Bengaluru side several additional days for rest, recovery and preparation.

Speaking about the situation, Gavaskar said that travel uncertainty can affect players both physically and mentally. He suggested that the IPL could have considered using the reserve day available on Monday to provide both finalists with more equal preparation time. He also called for greater flexibility in scheduling playoff matches in future editions of the tournament.

RCB captain Rajat Patidar acknowledged before the match that his team had benefited from extra time to prepare, although he maintained that the outcome would ultimately depend on performances on the field.

Despite the discussion, the final was played as scheduled on Sunday. RCB delivered a strong performance to defeat Gujarat Titans and successfully defend their IPL title.

While the result has been decided, Gavaskar’s remarks have sparked wider conversations among cricket fans and experts about scheduling challenges and competitive balance during the tournament’s knockout stages.