Royal Challengers Bengaluru marched into the IPL 2026 final after a 92-run win over Gujarat Titans in Dharamsala on Tuesday. The defending champions stayed true to their potential by first notching the highest-ever total in IPL playoffs – 254/5 in 20 overs – and then got GT all out for 162. Royal Challengers Bengaluru is making news both on and off the field. Before the IPL 2026, RCB became the costliest IPL franchise after a consortium led by the Aditya Birla Group (ABG) acquired the side for a whopping USD 1.78 billion (approximately Rs 16,706 crore) from United Spirits Limited.
Ananya Birla, a prominent face in the Aditya Birla Group, was at the Dharamsala Stadium when RCB beat GT. “What. A. Win. Congratulations @royalchallengers.bengaluru. Today was so inspiring to witness. Here we come, finals,” she wrote on her Instagram story.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru director of cricket Mo Bobat credited Rajat Patidar‘s hard work with batting coach Dinesh Karthik and head coach Andy Flower after the RCB captain produced a stunning unbeaten 93 to help the defending champions reach their second consecutive IPL final.
Patidar’s explosive knock powered RCB to a record-breaking 254/5 against Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 before the bowlers completed a dominant 92-run victory at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium on Tuesday.
“He’s worked incredibly hard on his game with both DK (Dinesh Karthik) and Andy Flower,” Bobat said in the post-match press conference. “One thing about Rajat is that he middles the ball a lot. Whether it’s pace or spin, front foot or back foot, the ball often hits the middle of his bat. That’s usually a very good sign. He has really strong basics and a fearless intent. Over the last couple of years, we’ve tried hard to make that the identity of our team,” he added.
Bobat praised Patidar’s growth as a batter over the last two seasons and revealed how much effort the captain has put into improving every aspect of his game. “He’s certainly batting brilliantly right now and has done so throughout the competition. That was a really special knock today, and I’m sure he’ll be very pleased to have stood up in such a big qualifier. Any team whose captain is playing well gets greater confidence from that,” he said.
Bobat said Patidar’s aggressive approach and fearless intent have become an important part of RCB’s batting identity this season. “We’re becoming accustomed to seeing these sorts of knocks from him now. He played some outrageous shots, but it was also the aggressive intent that stood out. That’s leading by example,” he said.
Bobat was especially impressed with Patidar’s ability to manage the innings smartly under pressure. After RCB lost quick wickets in the middle overs, the captain briefly rebuilt the innings before launching another brutal attack in the death overs.
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