Rajat Patidar stands alongside MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma in historic IPL captaincy record

Rajat Patidar's explosive 93 not out off 33 balls propelled Royal Challengers Bangalore to a 92-run win over Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1, sealing a place in the IPL 2026 final in Dharamsala. His innings featured nine sixes and a strike rate of 281.82, anchoring a dominant all-round performance as RCB outplayed GT in every department. Patidar’s feat elevates him into an elite group of captains who have led teams to consecutive IPL finals, joining MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, and Shreyas Iyer. The victory keeps defending champions RCB on track for a back-to-back title, while GT will face the winner of the Eliminator in Qualifier 2.