Royal Challengers Bengaluru had to wait for 17 years to lift their first-ever IPL trophy. The franchise tasted success for the first time in IPL 2025, in which they beat Punjab Kings in the final. Their win wasn’t a fluke, as the side played ruthless cricket and won their second successive title when they beat Gujarat Titans in the summit clash in IPL 2026.
Captain Rajat Patidar has been one of the key performers in both title wins. The 33-year-old scored 501 runs in 2026, including the 93 not out in the first qualifier against GT in Dharamsala.
Patidar praised former skipper Virat Kohli for his backing. The 38-year-old had endorsed the Madhya Pradesh star as the skipper after Faf du Plessis stepped down following the conclusion of the 17th season.
Speaking to Sports Launchpad, Rajat said, “If you get backed by your idol, you don’t need anything more or anyone else’s support. I used to notice him whenever we batted together- what he did on the field and his routines off the field. I got to know later how much he backed me, including when it came to captaincy. It is not easy to hand over the RCB leadership to someone else, with all the expectations the fans have.”
“Virat must have seen something in me. I don’t know what, but I have received a lot of support from him, as a player and as a captain,” he added.
Kohli amassed 675 runs in 16 matches, at an average of 56 and a strike rate of 165 in the 19th season. The batter was fourth on the highest run-getters list and posted five half-centuries, with a best of 105 not out against Kolkata Knight Riders in Raipur.
What has Rajat Patidar done since the end of IPL 2026?
RCB skipper Rajat Patidar missed out on selection to the India squad despite his performance in the IPL. He then went and played the Madhya Pradesh T20 League and later led the Central Zone in the Duleep Trophy semi-Finals vs East Zone. The batter managed to score just 12 and five in the game, which saw East Zone win by four wickets to reach the final.