Rajat Patidar led Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their second successive Indian Premier League title with a win over Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026 final.
Published: June 2, 2026, 5:21 PM IST
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Rajat Patidar (centre) with RCB teammates Virat Kohli (right) and Jitesh Sharma. (Photo: IANS)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Rajat Patidar created history in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season on Sunday when he became only the third captain in history after Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni to defend their crown in the IPL. Patidar’s RCB hammered Gujarat Titans by five wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedbad to clinch the IPL 2026 title.
Patidar, who was retained for Rs 11 crore by Royal Challengers Bengaluru ahead of IPL 2026 season, is ready for a fresh challenge almost immediately after the IPL 2026 final as he gets ready to lead JKC Sports-owned Gwalior Cheetahs in the Madhya Pradesh League (MPL) T20 Scindia Cup 2026. He will captain a side eager to make a breakthrough after reaching the semi-final in 2025 but narrowly missing out on a place in the final.
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IPL 2026: How and Why did Royal Challengers Bengaluru win IPL 2026? Here are 7 reasons why…
Gwalior Cheetahs will feature in the opening match of the 2026 season when they face Ujjain Falcons on Wednesday at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. One of the most accomplished cricketers to emerge from Madhya Pradesh in recent years, Patidar has enjoyed a remarkable rise through domestic and franchise cricket.
From playing a pivotal role in Madhya Pradesh’s historic Ranji Trophy triumph to establishing himself as a leader on the IPL stage, the right-hander now returns to familiar surroundings with the ambition of guiding the Gwalior Cheetahs to their maiden title. Patidar scored 501 runs in 15 matches for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL 2026 season at a strike-rate of 192.69 with 5 fifties to his name.
It was Patidar’s best-ever season in the Indian Premier League since making his debut with the RCB in the IPL 2021 season. Overall, he has score 1612 runs in 57 matches in his IPL career at an average of 33.58 with 1 hundred and 14 fifties at a strike-rate of 164.48.
Rajat Patidar’s record in T20 cricket
In T20 cricket, Patidar has scored 3389 runs in 113 matches at a strike-rate of over 160 with 1 hundred and 31 fifties to his name. Patidar’s Gwalior team will enter the new season with a balanced squad featuring a mix of experienced campaigners and promising young talent. Among them is Mangesh Yadav, the leading wicket-taker from the 2025 edition with 14 wickets, while the side will continue to benefit from the guidance of head coach Aditya Srivastava, under whose captaincy Madhya Pradesh ended a 69-year wait for the Ranji Trophy title in 2022.
Special feeling to come back and play in Madhya Pradesh: Rajat Patidar
On the eve of the first match, JKC Sports Co-founder Madhav Singhania said, “Congratulations to Rajat Patidar and RCB on a historic IPL triumph. We are excited to welcome Rajat to the Gwalior Cheetahs family. Winning back-to-back IPL titles as captain speaks volumes about his temperament, leadership and ability to bring the best out of a team. Having him return to lead the Gwalior Cheetahs gives the entire squad confidence and belief. We’ve built a strong group over the last few seasons and we’re looking forward to challenging for the title once again.”
Speaking ahead of the campaign, Patidar said: “It’s always a special feeling to come back and play in Madhya Pradesh. The last couple of months have been memorable, but every new tournament brings fresh challenges and fresh motivation. The MPL has become an important platform for cricket in the state and I’m excited to once again represent the Gwalior Cheetahs. We have a talented squad, a strong support staff and a group that’s hungry to succeed. Our focus is on playing positive cricket and giving ourselves the best chance to bring the trophy home.”
The spotlight will firmly be on the opening clash of the tournament as Patidar’s side take on Ujjain Falcons in what is their maiden MPL campaign. The Falcons will be led by young all-rounder Madhav Tiwari, who arrives fresh from an impressive IPL season with Delhi Capitals, where his pace bowling and lower-order hitting earned him plaudits.
Fans can catch the stream of the match on FanCode at 7:30 PM IST.
