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Ananya Lohia , Dharamsala -'Oh Captain! RCB Captain!' - Rajat Patidar delivered a knock for the ages in Qualifier 1, smashing a breathtaking 93 off just 33 balls to carry Royal Challengers Bengaluru into their second consecutive IPL final. The RCB skipper completely turned the game on its head against Gujarat Titans, producing a fearless innings that has now sparked fresh conversations around his return to India’s T20I side.
Patidar began cautiously, scoring only 14 runs from his first 10 balls, but once settled, he unleashed absolute destruction. His next 79 runs came in just 23 deliveries as he ripped apart the Gujarat Titans bowling attack with clean hitting and fearless intent. In a matter of overs, the RCB captain transformed the contest and sealed Bengaluru’s place in yet another IPL final. His journey has been nothing short of remarkable. From entering RCB as an injury replacement to becoming an IPL-winning captain and one of the franchise’s biggest match-winners, Patidar has steadily built his legacy. This season, despite batting away from the top order, he has scored 486 runs at a stunning strike rate of 196.76, playing a crucial role in RCB’s aggressive batting approach.
The innings has once again intensified talks about his future with Team India. Patidar previously got an opportunity in Test cricket but failed to cement his place after a difficult series against England. Since then, however, he has evolved significantly as both a batter and leader. His calmness under pressure and ability to accelerate rapidly have made him one of the standout performers of IPL 2026. Still, the road back into India’s T20I setup remains difficult. Suryakumar Yadav continues to hold a major role after leading India to T20 World Cup glory, while Shreyas Iyer’s consistency and leadership experience also place him ahead in the pecking order. Patidar’s style adds another challenge — unlike pure finishers such as Shivam Dube, he prefers spending a few deliveries settling in before launching an assault.
Even with fierce competition for places, performances like this are making Rajat Patidar impossible to ignore. And if the RCB skipper succeeds in delivering another IPL title, the calls for his India comeback may soon become too loud for selectors to overlook.
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