Rajat Patidar\u2019s innings against Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 delivered a rare feeling of inevitability for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) \u2014 once he found his rhythm, the bowling side looked like it had run out of answers.<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t only the power in his striking. The key was how quickly he shifted gears. After Jason Holder\u2019s double blow had pushed RCB into a careful rebuild, Patidar was still moving forward, striking at a pace of 16 runs from 11 balls. Then, almost instantly, the tempo changed. He began breaking down one of the tournament\u2019s toughest attacks with such relentless intent that GT\u2019s plans started to unravel in real time.<\/p>\n
The knock added fresh fuel to the growing conversation around Patidar\u2019s next steps on the international stage, with talk of a possible T20I debut \u2014 and even a leadership role \u2014 intensifying as India move into a brand-new two-year World Cup cycle. For the record, Patidar currently sits second among RCB run-scorers in IPL 2026, with 483 runs at a strike rate of 196.76.<\/p>\n
Mo Bobat, RCB\u2019s director of cricket, viewed the innings as another indicator that Patidar is continuing to evolve into a higher-impact player at the top end of the order.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s certainly batting brilliantly right now and has done throughout the competition,\u201d Bobat said after RCB booked a place in a second consecutive IPL final. \u201cThat was a really special knock today, and I\u2019m sure he\u2019ll be pleased to have stood up in a big qualifier.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAny team whose captain is playing well gains extra confidence,\u201d Bobat added. \u201cWe\u2019re getting used to seeing these sorts of knocks from him now. He played some outrageous shots, but it was also the aggressive intent \u2014 that\u2019s leadership by example.\u201d<\/p>\n
Babat then pointed to what he believes has been the clearest change in Patidar\u2019s game over the last two seasons, describing a progression that goes beyond just strength or flair.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt some stage last season I called him a spin-basher, and I think he took that personally because it sounded like I was saying it was only spin,\u201d Bobat said with a laugh. \u201cHe\u2019s probably trying to prove a point to me now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s worked incredibly hard on his game with DK [Dinesh Karthik] and Andy [Flower]. One thing about Rajat is that he finds the middle of the bat a lot. Whether it\u2019s pace or spin, front foot or back foot, the ball ends up in the meat of the bat quite often. That\u2019s usually a very good sign. He has solid fundamentals and a fearless mindset. Over the last couple of years, we\u2019ve tried hard to build that into the identity of our team.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tuesday\u2019s performance reflected that identity in the way RCB accelerated at the right times, shifting both the momentum of the innings and the shape of the match. Patidar\u2019s late-overs thrust pushed GT into territory they were not accustomed to defending, turning what could have remained within reach into something far more demanding.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the things he\u2019s done really well this year is choosing his moments,\u201d Bobat said. \u201cI remember the match against Rajasthan Royals (RR) earlier in the season when we lost a couple of early wickets. He absorbed the pressure initially and then went through the gears. That takes discipline and a more sophisticated way of thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cToday was similar. After a good start from the top three, we lost a few wickets, and he recognised that there was a window for a mini rebuild before accelerating again. Being able to read situations and conditions \u2014 knowing when to go up to top gear and when to drop back one \u2014 has been the most impressive part of his development.\u201d<\/p>\n
Babat also framed Patidar\u2019s growth as mirroring RCB\u2019s broader transformation across the past two seasons. For years, the franchise leaned heavily on a select group of stars to swing games. Now, the batting order and bowling plans both feature multiple contributors.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m especially happy that we\u2019ve got a number of players contributing to wins,\u201d Bobat said. \u201cWhen people talk about a \u2018complete team\u2019, that\u2019s probably the idea I\u2019d point to. It\u2019s been the same pattern in the way we played last year too. We aren\u2019t overly dependent on one or two individuals with the bat or the ball. A lot of different guys have stepped up, and you need that to go far in competitions.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I look at today, regardless of the result, everyone who had an opportunity to impact the game and put pressure on the opposition was able to do it. That\u2019s what we focus on \u2014 the way we play our cricket. When everyone contributes and fulfills their roles, the outcomes tend to follow.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added that the team\u2019s identity didn\u2019t appear overnight; it has been shaped gradually as a group of experienced voices came together and delivered in pressure settings.<\/p>\n
\u201cExperience matters a lot in pressure matches, but I also think it says something about their character and personalities,\u201d Bobat said. \u201cEveryone understands what Virat Kohli brings \u2014 his intensity, his fight, his hunger. But some of the other players have similar traits in their own way.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cKrunal Pandya brings a lot of fight and aggression; he always wants to be involved when the match gets difficult. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood are calmer characters, but they also want to stand up in those moments. If you build a squad where players walk towards pressure rather than away from it, that makes a big difference.\u201d<\/p>\n
Babat felt a similar mindset showed in the way Venkatesh Iyer has approached his campaign, particularly after his season began on the bench despite his pedigree. Iyer earned a place in the XI later in the group stage and has produced strong performances while batting in different roles.<\/p>\n
When he first broke into RCB\u2019s setup, he arrived as an impact player, tasked with halting a slide. Last week, he batted at No. 4 and remained unbeaten on 73 in a match-winning knock against Punjab Kings (PBKS) while Patidar was absent. Then, in the final league match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Iyer opened the batting, and he repeated that approach versus GT in Qualifier 1. Bobat believes that adaptability \u2014 combined with those performances \u2014 has left RCB prepared to handle Phil Salt\u2019s potential absence if the wicketkeeper-batter is ruled out of the final due to a finger injury.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe main thing I\u2019d say about Venky is that his attitude has been outstanding,\u201d Bobat said. \u201cFor someone who\u2019s already achieved what he has \u2014 representing India and winning IPLs \u2014 being on the bench is unfamiliar territory. But you didn\u2019t see that anywhere in the way he carried himself.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember at the start of the season there was discussion about whether we\u2019d pick him or Dev [Devdutt Padikkal] at No. 3. I specifically remember Dev scoring runs and Venky cheering louder than anyone from the dugout. That tells you a lot about his character, and also about the environment in the group.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe accepted he wasn\u2019t playing, but still wanted his team-mate to do well. He\u2019s worked incredibly hard in practice, waited for his opening, and then seized it. Today, from ball one, he and Virat set the tone and made it clear to GT that we were coming at them.\u201d<\/p>\n
In many ways, Bobat\u2019s comments capture the larger narrative of RCB\u2019s season: different match-winners, different personalities, yet a shared direction \u2014 one that has placed the side one victory away from becoming only the third team after Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) to defend their title.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Rajat Patidar\u2019s innings against Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL 2026 Qualifier 1 delivered a rare feeling of inevitability for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) \u2014…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":12503,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"RCB vs GT IPL 2026 Qualifier 1: Patidar Impact","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"RCB vs GT Qualifier 1: Rajat Patidar\u2019s explosive shift of gears swings momentum, leaving Gujarat Titans scrambling as RCB take the edge.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12504","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n