Dharamshala, May 17 Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be without their regular skipper Rajat Patidar for their IPL 2026 clash against Punjab Kings at the HPCA Stadium here on Sunday, with wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma set to lead the side in his absence.
An IPL source confirmed to IANS about Patidar’s absence from the clash which is a re-match of the 2025 IPL final, where RCB edged PBKS to win their first title. “Rajat Patidar won’t be playing today. Jitesh will be the captain of RCB for this clash. Patidar wasn’t seen in RCB travel videos to Dharamshala and missed both practice sessions. He will be back for RCB’s last game in Hyderabad,” further said the source.
Patidar has been one of RCB’s standout performers this season, amassing 326 runs in 10 innings at a strike rate of 195, including hitting three half-centuries. But his absence for the clash against CSK leaves a significant void in RCB’s middle order and it will be interesting to see who replaces him in the starting eleven.
RCB are currently sitting on top of the points table and a win over PBKS will confirm their playoffs berth. They arrive in Dharamsala on the back of successive victories. RCB will also continue to miss opener Phil Salt, who is yet to return from England after a finger injury. It means his compatriot Jacob Bethell will partner Virat Kohli at the top.
Jitesh Sharma captained Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the latter part of IPL 2025. Although Rajat Patidar was the designated skipper for the season, Jitesh led the side in an important playoff clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) after Patidar was used as an Impact Substitute.
The spotlight will now be on Jitesh, who has endured his leanest IPL season since debuting in 2022. He has managed just 90 runs so far and has fallen to pacers eight times in ten innings. For a batter known for his finishing abilities, rediscovering form as captain could be pivotal for Jitesh before RCB head into the playoffs.
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