In a thrilling IPL 2026 encounter at Barsapara Stadium, RCB captain Rajat Patidar played a match-defining knock of 63 runs from 40 deliveries, propelling his side to 201 for 8 against Rajasthan Royals. The innings, laced with 4 fours and 4 sixes, came after a shaky start where RCB lost early wickets in quick succession.
Electing to bowl first, RR’s Jofra Archer set the tone by dismissing Phil Salt for nought on the opening delivery. Devdutt Padikkal’s form deserted him as he scored 14 off 7 balls. Krunal Pandya fell for 1, Virat Kohli got a good start but was bowled for 32 by Ravi Bishnoi after 16 balls. Jitesh Sharma managed just 5, and Tim David’s 13-run stay did little to steady the ship.
Romario Shepherd’s aggressive 22 off 11 provided momentary hope, but he was caught off Jadeja. Patidar’s resilience shone through, especially in a brisk 41-run partnership with Venkatesh Iyer (29* off 15), while Bhuvneshwar Kumar (9*) ensured no further drama. Bowling figures highlighted Archer and Bishnoi with 2 wickets each, Brijesh Sharma matching them in his brief stint, and Jadeja and Sandeep Sharma chipping in. Patidar’s RCB XI included stars like Kohli, Salt, Padikkal, and Hazlewood.
