Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Rajat Patidar missed out in their IPL 2026 clash against the Punjab Kings at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala, on Sunday, May 17. Jitesh Sharma turned up as the stand-in captain for the game, which could take Bengaluru to the playoffs.
RCB need one win from their last two matches to secure a spot in the playoffs. They have 16 points from 12 matches and face PBKS and Sunrisers Hyderabad in their last two outings.
Why is Patidar not playing in PBKS vs RCB clash?
Patidar got injured in the previous match against the Kolkata Knight Riders when he took a blow to the back of his helmet off a bouncer from Kartik Tyagi. He continued to bat but was dismissed pretty soon for just 11.ย
Jitesh led the team in Patidar’s absence and said that the fans should see him in the next game in Hyderabad. “We would have loved to bowl first, but the wicket is good and should play well for 40 overs. Rajat is doing fantastic, and we should see him in Hyderabad,” Jitesh said at the toss.
“We are at the business end of the tournament, and Iโm happy with how the team is performing, both individually and as a unit. Yes, we are very pleased that the team looks so stable right now. We are giving our absolute best in every department. One win tonight secures our spot in the playoffs, so itโs a massive game for us.ย
“Absolutely, every game is important at this stage. This win can change the entire tableโnot just for us, but for several other teams as well.. Suyash replaces Rajat and Romario replaces Duffy,” he added.
PBKS make two changes
Meanwhile, PBKS also made two changes to their team as Harpreet Brar and Lockie Ferguson came in. “We’re going to bowl. I’m not going by the stats; we’re clearly seeing how the games pan out. If we bat and bowl well, the toss doesn’t matter.ย
“I seriously had no clue that this was my 100th game as a captain but it feels great. It feels like a great opportunity for me to win my 100th game (as captain). The bowling has been fantastic, but there are pressure moments where you need to execute and so you can’t change the past, nor you can’t anticipate the future.ย
“The beauty is to stay in the moment and see the moment and enjoy the pressure. Two changes for us (Harpreet) Brar and Lockie (Ferguson) come in.”
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