IPL 2026: Big blow for RCB! Rajat Patidar misses the PBKS clash, led by Jitesh Sharma

RCB captain Rajat Patidar (Image:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be without regular skipper Rajat Patidar against Punjab Kings at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on Sunday, where Jitesh Sharma will lead the team in his absence.According to sources, Patidar did not travel with the team to Dharamsala and also missed both the training sessions ahead of the much-awaited rematch of the IPL 2025 final where RCB defeated PBKS to lift their first title.“Rajat Patidar will not play today. Jitesh will captain RCB in this match. Patidar was not seen in the team’s travel videos and also missed training. He is expected to return for RCB’s last league match in Hyderabad,” a source told IANS.Patidar has been one of Bengaluru’s standout players this season, scoring 326 runs in 10 innings at a staggering strike rate of 195, including three half-centuries. His absence leaves a big gap in RCB’s middle order and forces the team management to rethink their batting combination for the crucial encounter. RCB are currently sitting at the top of the IPL 2026 points table and another win would officially seal their qualification for the playoffs. The team goes into the competition with strong momentum after back-to-back wins. The Bengaluru franchise will also continue to miss England opener Phil Salt, who remains unavailable due to a finger injury. As a result, England batsman Jacob Bethell is expected to continue to open alongside Virat Kohli.

Playing XII for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings:

RCB: Jacob Bethell, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Venkatesh Iyer, Jitesh Sharma (w/c), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash SharmaPBKS: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (w), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (c), Suryansh Shedge, Shashank Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar, Lockie Ferguson, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.