RCB captain Patidar blames batting collapse as GT chase down 156 in 15.5 overs
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Rajat Patidar, captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), conceded that his team's batting performance fell short of par after they lost by four wickets to Gujarat Titans in Match 42 of the Indian Premier League 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday, 30 April. RCB posted 155 in 19.2 overs, with Devdutt Padikkal top-scoring with 40 and Virat Kohli contributing a quickfire 28, but a middle-order collapse undermined their chances of setting a commanding total.
The bowling effort
Despite the modest batting display, Patidar highlighted RCB's disciplined bowling as a silver lining. "The way we bowled and stretched it to 15-16 overs, I think that's a positive sign for us," he said after the match. Bhuvneshwar Kumar led the bowling attack with three wickets, and Patidar praised the veteran pacer's impact. "As we all know, he's an experienced bowler in the T20 format, and the way he bowled in the first half was incredible," the RCB captain added.
Gill's powerplay blitz
In their chase, Gujarat Titans made a blistering start, with skipper Shubman Gill smashing 43 off just 18 balls to put RCB under immediate pressure. Patidar acknowledged the impact of the pitch conditions. "There was a good cover of grass on the surface that helped fast bowlers. And as I said, the way Shubman played in the powerplay, he put the pressure on us," he noted. GT eventually chased down the target in 15.5 overs, finishing at 158/6.
Supporting cast seals the chase
Jos Buttler (39) and Rahul Tewatia (27 not out) provided crucial support to Gill, ensuring a comfortable chase despite RCB's late-order resistance. For GT, Arshad Khan was the standout bowler with 3 for 22, while Rashid Khan and Jason Holder picked up two wickets each to restrict RCB's total.
Focus on process over standings
Patidar stressed that RCB is not dwelling on the points table despite the loss. "It's a long way to go, and we'll take it one game at a time. There's bound to be hiccups. We are not looking at the table, we aim to play good cricket," he said, signalling the team's intent to reset and focus on upcoming matches.