Rajat Patidar Out, Jitesh Sharma Leads RCB vs PBKS in Dharamsala
Rajat Patidar Out, Jitesh Sharma Leads RCB vs PBKS in Dharamsala
RCB face Punjab Kings without captain Rajat Patidar as stand-in Jitesh Sharma leads; Patidar recovering with a Hyderabad return eyed.
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru head into a crucial IPL 2026 clash against Punjab Kings at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala without their regular captain Rajat Patidar. Jitesh Sharma leads the side in Patidar's absence, with Patidar recovering well and eyeing a return for the next match in Hyderabad.
The toss was won by Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer, who opted to field first, signaling confidence in his bowlers to defend a total. He said the team would focus on execution in pressure moments and play for a win through disciplined bowling and timely batting. For PBKS, two changes were made to strengthen the attack, bringing in Harpreet Brar and Lockie Ferguson.
RCB's stand-in captain, Jitesh Sharma, provided a fitness update on Patidar, saying Rajat is doing fantastically and should be ready for Hyderabad. Jitesh also noted that Suyash and Romario came into the side to cover for Patidar's absence, signaling some reshuffled plans as the game unfolds. Patidar did not travel with the squad to Dharamsala and missed both practice sessions ahead of the clash, but the update from the team suggests a likely return in the next match.
RCB, defending IPL champions, remain atop the IPL 2026 points table, and fans will be watching closely to see how the team adapts without Patidar and whether he can slot back in once he recovers.
