RCB vs PBKS: Royal Challengers Bangalore have suffered a big blow before the match against Punjab Kings. Regular captain Rajat Patidar will not play in this match and Jitesh Sharma will captain the team. RCB will be eyeing to almost secure a place in the playoffs with a win.
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), which is performing brilliantly in IPL 2026, has suffered a big setback before the match against Punjab Kings. The team’s regular captain Rajat Patidar will not play in this important match. According to reports, in his absence, wicketkeeper batsman Jitesh Sharma will take over the captaincy of the team.
This match to be played on Sunday at HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala is considered very important. These are the same two teams that met in the final of IPL 2025, where RCB defeated Punjab Kings to win their first title. Now once again both the teams are going to clash, but this time RCB will take the field without their regular captain.
According to sources, Rajat Patidar did not reach Dharamshala with the team and he also missed both the practice sessions. However, it is a matter of relief that he can make a comeback in the team’s last league match.
Patidar has been one of the most reliable batsmen of RCB this season. He has scored 326 runs in 10 innings and his strike rate has been 195. During this period, three half-centuries also came from his bat. In such a situation, his absence is being considered a big loss for the team.
Now all eyes will be on Jitesh Sharma, who has got the responsibility of captaincy. Interestingly, in IPL 2025 also, he commanded the team in some matches. During that time Rajat Patidar was used as an impact player and Jitesh took the captaincy.
However, this season has not been good for Jitesh so far in terms of batting. He has scored only 90 runs in 10 innings and has been seen struggling continuously against the fast bowlers. In such a situation, the additional pressure of captaincy can be a big challenge for him.
RCB is currently on top in the points table and if the team defeats Punjab Kings then the place in the playoffs will be almost assured. The team seems to be full of confidence after two consecutive wins.
Meanwhile, England batsman Phil Salt is still out of the team due to injury. In such a situation, Jacob Bethel can once again be seen opening with Virat Kohli. Now it will be interesting to see whether RCB is able to continue its winning campaign with the new captain or not.
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