A surprising development took place in Dharamsala when Jitesh Sharma walked out for the toss instead of regular Rajat Patidar in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s crucial clash against Punjab Kings.

Patidar’s absence immediately raised concern among fans, especially with RCB pushing for top two spots in IPL 2026 points table.

Rajat Patidar suffered injury scare after helmet blow from Kartik Tyagi

Patidar suffered a painful helmet blow from Kartik Tyagi during RCB’s previous match against Kolkata Knight Riders. He looked in discomfort right after taking the hit and was attended by the medical team. When he did not travel with the squad to Dharamsala, it further raised doubts over the seriousness of the injury.

Meanwhile, stand-in captain Jitesh Sharma gave a reassuring update during the toss and hinted that the injury is not serious.

“Rajat is doing fantastic and we should see him in Hyderabad”

Patidar is likely to return for Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s last league-stage match against Sunrisers Hyderabad at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium on May 22.

RCB’s middle-order backbone in IPL 2026

Rajat Patidar has been the backbone of RCB’s middle order this season and has delivered several crucial innings under pressure. He has often stepped up when the top order failed and stitched together important knocks in the middle overs.

In 12 matches, Patidar has scored 337 runs at an impressive strike rate of 192.57. He has smashed three half-centuries and played multiple match-winning innings that have strengthened RCB’s campaign.

RCB are currently sitting comfortably at the top of the table and qualification is well within reach. Under Rajat Patidar’s leadership, the defending champions have won eight of their 12 matches. A victory against Punjab Kings in Dharamsala would officially seal their playoff spot.

After this fixture, RCB will travel to Hyderabad for their final league match against Sunrisers Hyderabad. The side remains strongly placed to defend its title, and Patidar’s return could further strengthen their chances heading into the playoffs.

RCB's playing XI vs PBKS: Jacob Bethell, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Venkatesh Iyer, Jitesh Sharma(w/c), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma

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