Rajat Patidar could not have hoped for a better result. A record total, a brute of an innings and a second consecutive final. Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru produced a perfect match to completely outplay Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) on Tuesday. RCB blasted a mammoth total of 254, in chase of which GT could only manage 162, going down by a whopping 92 runs. The captain himself was the star of the show, bludgeoning a 93-run carnage that knocked the stuffing out of the 2022 champions.
Rajat Patidar’s knock made a huge difference. He was struggling at one stage, having jaywalked to 14 off 10 balls, but from there, to have accelerated the way he did - belting 79 off the next 23 - was unbelievable. What triggered it? Hear from the horse’s mouth.
“I think my batting approach remains the same. At the start, I like to take 8 to 10 balls to understand how the wicket is behaving and what the ball is doing. Once I get that clarity, I know exactly how to go about my innings. After that, I am not too worried about the wicket. I always like to put the bowler under pressure,” Patidar said after the match.
Since being appointed captain, Patidar has hardly put a foot wrong. In 2024, he made his Test debut for India, but after a struggling series against England, he was shown the door. However, RCB’s captaincy seems to have really brought out the best in him. Just when memes about his slow batting were beginning to be made tonight, he showed why he’s the man in charge of one of the world’s greatest cricketing teams.
{{/usCountry}}Since being appointed captain, Patidar has hardly put a foot wrong. In 2024, he made his Test debut for India, but after a struggling series against England, he was shown the door. However, RCB’s captaincy seems to have really brought out the best in him. Just when memes about his slow batting were beginning to be made tonight, he showed why he’s the man in charge of one of the world’s greatest cricketing teams.
{{/usCountry}}Also Read: Merciless, mighty, magnificent: RCB crush GT by record-breaking margin to qualify for IPL 2026 final
RCB now await the winner of Qualifier 2, which will be played between GT and the winner of Wednesday’s Eliminator, with Patidar acknowledging that a win as thumping as this is the perfect confidence-booster as the team stands on the brink of a special achievement.
“It was a superb game for us, especially with the way our batsmen dominated. Everyone batted with intent, and I think that was very important for us. It wasn’t exactly a clear plan to go after the GT bowlers specifically, but we were prepared because you have to show through your body language that we are coming for you. I think every batsman showed that intent,” he added.
“We spoke about it in the team meeting as well. We wanted to display positive body language and an attacking mindset. It was a big stage, Qualifier 1, and the way we played and dominated the game was simply outstanding.”