Sachin Tendulkar hails Krunal Pandya's masterclass after stunning Jos Buttler dismissal in RCB vs GT final
Krunal Pandya produced a moment of pure brilliance to send dangerous batter Jos Buttler packing in RCB vs GT IPL 2026 final clash. Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar was quick to praise the spinner’s smart work.
In a high-stakes clash filled with drama and big moments, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) faced the Gujarat Titans (GT) in the much-awaited final. The match turned sharply when all-rounder Krunal Pandya produced a moment of pure brilliance to send dangerous batter Jos Buttler packing. Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar was quick to praise the spinner’s smart work, calling it a standout delivery in the pressure cooker of the final.
Krunal Pandya's brilliant stumping turns the tide
The breakthrough came in the 12.1 over when Krunal Pandya took on Jos Buttler. It was a classic stumping that left everyone stunned. Pandya watched the batter’s feet until the very last moment, showing sharp game awareness. As Buttler stepped out looking to attack and push the Gujarat Titans past 160, Krunal fired a fast wide yorker. The England star couldn’t connect, and wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma did the rest behind the stumps.
Jos Buttler was out stumped for 19 runs off 23 balls. Many called it the wicket of the game so far. Buttler had settled in nicely and was eyeing a big total for GT, but Pandya’s clever variation spoiled those plans completely. RCB players knew instantly they had cut the target by at least 20 crucial runs.
Sachin Tendulkar reacts with glowing praise
The Master Blaster himself was impressed by the execution. Sachin Tendulkar shared, “What a fabulous delivery by Krunal Pandya! He watched the batter's feet until the very last moment before releasing the perfect ball to send him back to the dressing room.”
This praise from one of cricket’s greatest names added extra shine to Krunal’s effort. Fans and experts agreed that Pandya’s ability to read the game, lock eyes on the batter, and deliver under lights made it a textbook dismissal in T20 cricket, where every run counts; such intelligence stands out.
Krunal Pandya's performance in IPL 2026
Total matches: 16
Wickets taken: 14
Overs: 50.3
Runs: 425
BBI: 16/2
Average: 30.35
Economy rate: 8.41
RCB vs GT match result
Royal Challengers Bengaluru won the final clash with five wickets.
On the win Krunal Pandya expressed, “Every IPL trophy is special. It’s like having kids, right? You can’t pick. Similar with IPL trophies because everything is so hard-earned. I’m so glad and grateful that in 11 years, to have five trophies, it’s pretty special for me. (on RCB’s transformation and winning back-to-back titles) I mean, obviously, a lot of credit goes to the support staff, right? Mo Bobat, Andy Flower, Dinesh Karthik, Malolan, Omi (Omkar Salvi). I mean, the way they prepared before the auction also last year and the way they set the team, right? The balance of it. So, again, I mean, sometimes half of the battle is won in the auction. I guess they did a pretty good job. And then eventually, it was on us to go out and deliver. And yeah, I mean, glad that we were able to, you know, have a hold on the trophy back-to-back. (on what the back-to-back titles mean to RCB and its fans) Yeah, definitely. Again, all those 18 years of waiting and then winning two back-to-back trophies. This is for the RCB fans. Wherever we have gone, they have supported us. And obviously for Virat, it’s been pretty special. Right after 18 and 19 seasons, having two back-to-back trophies. So yeah, it’s amazing.”