Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Rajat Patidar credited his fearless batting approach after guiding his side to a crushing 92-run victory over Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 on Tuesday.

Patidar played a sensational unbeaten knock of 93 from just 33 deliveries, smashing nine sixes and five boundaries as RCB piled up a record-breaking 254/5 — the highest total ever registered in an IPL knockout fixture.

In reply, GT were bundled out for 162 in 19.3 overs as RCB stormed into their second straight IPL final with a dominant all-round display.

Speaking after the game, Patidar said the team’s aggressive mindset from the very beginning played a massive role in the win.

“We wanted to show intent straight away and keep the bowlers under pressure. Every batter walked in with attacking body language and that helped us dominate,” he said.

The RCB skipper also explained how he approaches his innings, revealing that he first spends a few deliveries understanding the pitch conditions before switching gears aggressively.

“I usually take a handful of balls to assess the surface and once I understand it, I back myself completely. I don’t think too much about getting out — my focus is always on putting pressure back on the bowler,” Patidar added.

Rajat Patidar praises RCB bowlers for early breakthroughs

Patidar admitted the Dharamshala surface was not the easiest for clean hitting because of uneven bounce, but praised the bowlers for executing their plans perfectly against GT’s dangerous top order.

According to the RCB captain, the side had identified GT’s top three batters as key wickets inside the powerplay and managed to execute that strategy brilliantly.

RCB reduced GT to complete chaos during the chase as wickets kept tumbling at regular intervals, leaving the Titans reeling at 88/8 inside 12 overs.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar credits support staff for RCB bowling success

Veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who finished with figures of 3/28 and reclaimed the Purple Cap, praised the franchise’s coaching and analytical staff for helping the bowlers prepare detailed plans.

The senior fast bowler said the management’s behind-the-scenes work had played a major role in RCB’s consistent bowling performances this season.

“A lot of planning goes into every game. The support staff have been excellent with preparation and data analysis, while experienced bowlers like Josh Hazlewood and I try to execute those plans properly on the field,” Bhuvneshwar said.

He further added that RCB use statistics as guidance rather than blindly depending on numbers.

“We study areas where we can improve and use data smartly, but we don’t rely on it completely. Our aim is usually to deny batters room and create chances for bowled or leg-before dismissals,” he explained.

Also READ: Latest Cricket News