4 min readMay 26, 2026 10:33 PM IST
When Royal Challengers Bengaluru walked into Qualifier 1 against Gujarat Titans, most of the attention was on the bigger stars. But by the end of the night in Dharamsala, it was Rajat Patidar who had taken control of IPL playoff week, proving that he indeed was a man for the big occasion, when the stakes are high. This after leading the franchise to its first title in 18 seasons.
The RCB skipper smashed an unbeaten 93 off just 33 balls at a strike rate of over 280, turning what looked like a strong total into a massive one. At one stage, RCB were moving well without breaking the game open. Then Patidar arrived and changed the pace of the match almost single-handedly.
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The numbers themselves were staggering — five fours, nine sixes and a fifty that came in only 21 balls. But what stood out even more was how naturally the innings unfolded. There was no desperation in his batting, no wild swinging. He just kept reading lengths quicker than everyone else.
RCB collected 86 runs in the last five overs, and Patidar was at the centre of the carnage. The likes of Kulwant Khejroliya and Prasidh Krishna bore the full brunt as did the likes of Kagiso Rabada and Rashid Khan as the right-hander smashed sixes to all parts of the ground.
Calmness is what makes Patidar such a dangerous playoff batter. Some players look weighed down by knockout cricket. Others try too hard to dominate the occasion and lose control of their game. Patidar somehow avoids both extremes. He rarely looks rushed. Even when he is tearing attacks apart, his batting still appears balanced and measured.
And Tuesday’s whirlwind knock was no longer a first demonstration of his incredible hitting ability.
The first example came in IPL 2022 during the Eliminator against Lucknow Super Giants. Coming in after an early wicket, Patidar produced one of the finest playoff innings the tournament has seen – an unbeaten 112 off 54 balls. RCB were under pressure early, but he completely flipped the match with fearless hitting against both pace and spin.
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That innings changed how people viewed him. Until then, Patidar was seen as a talented middle-order batter. After that night, he began to be considered as someone built specifically for high-pressure cricket.
Two days later, in Qualifier 2 against Rajasthan Royals, he again top-scored for RCB with 58. This was a much tougher surface on which batting never felt comfortable and wickets kept falling around him. Yet, Patidar still managed to hold the innings together long enough to give RCB something respectable to defend.
RCB lost that match, but Patidar walked away from the playoffs with his reputation enhanced. What stood out was not just the runs, but the ease with which he handled the pressure of the situation.
There is something very uncomplicated about his batting method that suits knockout cricket. He does not depend heavily on innovation or outrageous angles. His base stays solid, he picks length early and trusts clean cricket shots. Against spin especially, he has an ability to attack without looking reckless, which is invaluable in playoff matches.
That composure shapes his captaincy as well.
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This season, Patidar has led RCB in much the same way he bats — quietly, without unnecessary drama, but with a very clear understanding of the situation. He does not seem interested in creating an image for himself as captain. Instead, he appears focused on getting the job done.
Qualifier 1 against GT captured that perfectly. He kept RCB calm through the big moments and then produced the innings that took the team to a huge total.
Patidar has quietly built one of the strongest playoff records in the league. Some players dominate the league stages. Others seem to grow sharper when the pressure rises and the margins become smaller. Patidar is increasingly looking like the second kind.
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