Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Rajat Patidar accepted that his team’s batting effort was not enough as they lost to the Gujarat Titans by four wickets in Match 42 of the Indian Premier League 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Thursday. RCB managed 155 runs after being asked to bat, but wickets falling during the middle overs left them short of a defendable total.
Key takeaways
- RCB were restricted to 155 after 19.2 overs in their Match 42 loss to Gujarat Titans.
- Gujarat Titans chased the target successfully in 15.5 overs, finishing on 158/6.
- Shubman Gill’s 43 off 18 balls gave GT a strong start and kept early pressure on RCB.
- Devdutt Padikkal top-scored for RCB with 40, while Virat Kohli made 28 quickly.
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar led RCB’s bowling with three wickets, though it wasn’t enough to stop the chase.
RCB’s batting falls short after early contributions
After winning the toss and taking first strike, RCB posted 155 runs in 19.2 overs. Padikkal was the standout, striking 40, while Kohli added a brisk 28. Patidar felt the score itself didn’t offer sufficient protection, especially as RCB lost wickets in the middle phase.
Still, Patidar pointed to the positives in their bowling approach, suggesting that stretching the contest helped their cause even after the batting didn’t deliver. “I think the score was not good enough, but the way we bowled and stretched it to 15–16 overs, I think that’s a positive sign for us,” he said after the match.
Gill’s powerplay spark sets up the chase
In response, Gujarat Titans struck early momentum through their captain Shubman Gill. He blasted 43 off just 18 deliveries, immediately putting RCB under pressure during the opening stretch. That early impetus proved decisive as GT ultimately reached the target with time to spare, finishing at 158/6 in 15.5 overs.
Patidar also highlighted conditions, noting that there was enough grass coverage on the surface to assist the fast bowlers, but he admitted Gill’s batting in the powerplay was the key factor. “There was a good cover of grass on the surface that helped fast bowlers. And as I said, the way Shubman played in the powerplay, he put the pressure on us,” he added.
RCB briefly fight back, but Gujarat Titans close it out
Despite the early hit, RCB bowlers managed to slow the chase for a period. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the main influence, taking three wickets and giving Bengaluru moments of control. Patidar praised the veteran pacer’s impact, especially during the first half of the innings.
“As we all know, he’s an experienced bowler in the T20 format, and the way he bowled in the first half was incredible,” Patidar said.
Patidar also clarified that the squad is not fixated on the points table even while remaining in contention. “It’s a long way to go, and we’ll take it one game at a time. There’s bound to be hiccups. We are not looking at the table, we aim to play good cricket,” he added.
Buttler and Tewatia steady the chase for GT
For Gujarat Titans, Gill received strong backing from Jos Buttler, who made 39, and Rahul Tewatia, who finished unbeaten on 27. Their partnership helped Gujarat manage the chase comfortably even as RCB managed a few late breakthroughs.
Earlier in the day, GT’s bowling attack kept RCB’s total under check. Arshad Khan impressed with figures of 3-22, while Rashid Khan and Jason Holder each took two wickets, limiting RCB to a modest score of 155.
