Rajat Patidar’s momentum in the IPL kept building in 2026, with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain steering the franchise to a second consecutive title. With the tournament crown defended after lifting it the previous year, Patidar’s influence extended beyond his batting contributions—his captaincy also helped RCB sustain the momentum that had carried them to glory in the earlier season.
Patidar’s 2026 batting impact
In another key middle-order role, Patidar produced a season full of decisive knocks. He finished with 501 runs while striking at 192.69, a return that underlined how often he managed to swing games in RCB’s favour at crucial stages.
- He scored 501 runs across IPL 2026.
- His strike rate was 192.69, reflecting an aggressive approach when the match demanded acceleration.
- Patidar repeatedly delivered under pressure—stabilising the innings after early setbacks and then switching gears to chase rapid totals when RCB needed quick runs.
Why Michael Clarke believes Patidar is underrated
Despite those contributions, former Australia captain Michael Clarke feels Patidar has not been given the level of spotlight his performances deserve. Speaking on the Beyond23 Cricket Podcast, Clarke described the RCB skipper as one of the most underrated performers of IPL 2026, pointing to the attention typically drawn by Virat Kohli as a reason others can be overlooked.
Clarke’s view was that Patidar has consistently done the hard work—both in how he leads and in how he gets the best out of the group—while also delivering personally in a demanding batting position.
- Clarke called Patidar “under the radar” despite a standout tournament.
- He argued that when Virat Kohli is in the team, the conversation naturally centres on Kohli, which can reduce attention on other key players.
- Clarke praised Patidar for his exceptional leadership style and for maximising the performance of teammates.
- He highlighted Patidar’s own batting in the difficult middle order as “fantastic”.
Back-to-back titles and growing captaincy credentials
For Clarke, Patidar’s improvement as a leader has been particularly clear over the last two seasons. Under his captaincy, RCB evolved from a side that had spent years chasing a first major title into a team capable of winning championships in consecutive seasons.
Clarke believes those achievements should place Patidar firmly in discussions about India’s short-format setup, stressing that his leadership and middle-order batting profile make him a strong fit for T20 cricket.
- Clarke noted that RCB’s transformation happened during Patidar’s tenure as captain.
- He said the back-to-back IPL triumphs are achievements selectors cannot ignore.
- He argued that Patidar’s batting at No. 4 is especially valuable because it is one of the toughest roles in T20s.
- Clarke suggested that Patidar “explodes” after arriving at that position, underlining his impact during decisive phases.
White-ball chances, India recall and ODI possibilities
With competition for places intense in Indian cricket, Clarke believes Patidar has done enough to push his name towards the front of the queue for white-ball opportunities. He pointed out that India’s current talent pool is deep, but insisted that captaining a team to successive IPL titles should ensure Patidar remains on the radar of the BCCI and Indian selectors.
Clarke went further, indicating that Patidar could even be considered beyond T20s. While whether he will captain India remains uncertain, Clarke believes Patidar’s leadership qualities and match-winning middle-order contributions justify ongoing attention.
- Clarke said India has a lot of talent at the moment, with many players competing for spots through IPL performances.
- He argued that back-to-back IPL success as captain should place Patidar in the selectors’ thoughts.
- He stated that Patidar’s name should be high in the T20 pecking order.
- He added that Patidar could potentially be viewed for ODI cricket as well.
With 501 runs, a strike rate nearing 200, and another IPL trophy as captain, Patidar’s case has become increasingly difficult to dismiss. Whether that momentum results in an India recall is still to be seen, but Clarke’s position is clear: the RCB skipper has earned a place in the conversation.
