For nearly two decades, Royal Challengers Bengaluru carried the tag of almost-there. The squad has featured a stunning mix of names and legends—Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Chris Gayle, Shane Watson, and Marcus Stoinis among them—yet the franchise trophy still refused to arrive. Even Kohli’s individual brilliance couldn’t break the spell, most notably in 2016 when he piled up a staggering 973 runs, only for the title to slip away once again. That same season, Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Ben Cutting became the defining figure as the trophy was wrested from RCB’s reach, leaving the Bengaluru faithful with another painful reminder that star power does not automatically translate into silverware.
Everything, though, appears to have shifted after Rajat Patidar’s rise into captaincy. Under his leadership, Royal Challengers Bengaluru have gone on to claim IPL titles in consecutive seasons. On Sunday night, in front of a packed Narendra Modi Stadium, Patidar and his team completed the double by beating the home side, Gujarat Titans, in the summit match of the 19th edition of the T20 competition.
Patidar’s campaign has been more than a captain’s storyline—it has been backed by numbers. The right-handed batter from Madhya Pradesh produced 501 runs in 15 matches, maintaining an average of 41.75 while striking at 192.69. His most emphatic moment arrived in Qualifier 1 against Gujarat Titans, where he took control with a knock of 93. The innings swung momentum decisively, as he punished the bowling in all directions to propel RCB over the line.
So influential has his form been that his name is now being linked with India selection. Many expect Patidar could be fast-tracked into the T20I setup for the forthcoming assignments against Ireland and England. Across the entire IPL, he consistently came in at No. 4 and looked intent on shaping the contest immediately—whether the opposition brought pacers or turned to spinners.
Despite the confidence his batting style suggests, Patidar insisted there was no rigid plan laid out the moment he walked in. “It’s not like that I had to go in and target the bowlers from ball number one. No one in the team was doing that. It’s important to back your instincts. We did a lot of hard work before the tournament with DK (Dinesh Karthik, the batting coach). Andy Flower (head coach) and Mo Bobat (Director of Cricket) were also there,” he said during a select media interaction on Monday afternoon in response to a query.
He further explained how clarity about his role helped him decide when to attack. “More clarity about my role. I was pretty clear that if I’m batting in the middle overs, I can maximise and I can take a risk. I like taking risks, so if I am playing in the middle overs phase, I like to maximise every bowler. If I feel I have to go after the attack on my second delivery, I back myself and go with full clarity,” Patidar added.
Patidar’s impact has also drawn admiration from fellow captains and senior voices across the league. In IPL 2026, his dominance reportedly prompted special praise from Shreyas Iyer, the Punjab Kings captain, who described him as the “most stylish performer.” When asked about that compliment, the 33-year-old said he wasn’t surprised, pointing to the time he has spent around Iyer. “I have spent a lot of time with Shreyas. In my first season in Ranji, we played Mumbai, and at that time, he scored a lot of runs. I admire him a lot. The way he was dominating in red-ball cricket, the shots which he was playing. At that point, it was my first season, and after looking at him, I changed my mindset. The way he was playing, it was unbelievable. Thanks to Shreyas, the words he spoke for me,” Patidar said.
While the spotlight naturally stays on RCB and their captain, Patidar also made time to acknowledge another standout from the season—Vaibhav Sooryavanshi of the Rajasthan Royals. On Sunday, the young opener, aged just 15, collected multiple awards, including the Orange Cap, after scoring 776 runs in 16 matches.
Patidar was categorical that Sooryavanshi was the standout performer. “It’s pretty clear, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. He’s so young, and the way he’s dominated this tournament. He just didn’t play; he dominated every top bowler. So the way he played his shots, he’s amazing. Whenever I saw him on TV, it was just superb. I wish him luck,” he said.
