Why is Rajat Patidar not playing PBKS vs RCB clash of IPL 2026?
(Courtesy : BCCI/IPL)
Rajat Patidar is the captain of RCB in IPL 2026.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) are clashing in the 61st match of the Indian Premier League 2026 on Sunday, May 17. The venue of the clash is Himachal Pradesh Cricket Stadium in Dharamsala.
RCB take the top spot in the points table with 16 points, having won eight and lost four of 12 games. They need just one more victory to book a berth in the playoffs. They won their previous game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by six wickets.
PBKS are placed fourth in the points table. Out of 12 games, they have won six and lost five (one no result). They need to defeat RCB to keep their playoffs hopes alive. A defeat will hamper their chances of reaching the top four. Punjab have lost five games in a row.
Notably, RCB’s regular captain Rajat Patidar is absent from the clash against the Punjab Kings. In his absence, vice-captain Jitesh Sharma is leading the side.
Why is Rajat Patidar not part of the PBKS vs RCB clash?
Notably, Patidar is injured and has not travelled with the squad to Dharamsala. Hence, he is missing the clash.
Speaking at the toss, Jitesh said, “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. This win can change the entire table – not just for us, but for several other teams as well. Suyash replaces Rajat and Romario replaces Duffy”.
The RCB skipper has done a decent job with the bat so far. In 11 innings, he has scored 337 runs at a strike rate of 192.57. He has also slammed three half-centuries and scored crucial runs in the middle overs in many games.
Vice-captain Jitesh has flopped with his batting in IPL 2026. He has scored just 90 runs in 10 innings and lost his wicket cheaply on many occasions. He has struggled a lot to play the role of a finisher; however, RCB have backed him so far.
Why is Rajat Patidar not part of the PBKS vs RCB clash?
Patidar is missing the game due to an injury.
Who is captaining RCB in Rajat Patidar’s absence?
Jitesh Sharma is leading the side.
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Vikas Singh Derek is a core cricket-lover since childhood and has always followed the sport both in his personal and professional life. He started his school life by watching cricket at home with family. Later, he played cricket on the field at local clubs during college. After his Master's in Journalism from Mumbai, he followed his passion by covering cricket news across various digital media. Since 2015, he has been an aspiring sports journalist and cricket content writer with over 50K+ articles.