RCB's Rajat Patidar Analyzes Defeat Against SRH in IPL Clash

In a recent IPL match, RCB faced a significant defeat against SRH, with captain Rajat Patidar analyzing the strong performance of their opponents. Despite the loss, RCB remains at the top of the standings and prepares for a crucial match against Gujarat Titans. Patidar praised SRH's effective use of slow bouncers and yorkers, which made scoring difficult. The match featured impressive innings from SRH's batsmen, leading to a total of 255 runs. RCB's chase fell short, ending at 200 runs. Discover more about the match dynamics and what lies ahead for RCB.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 23, 2026, 02:18 IST

RCB's Struggles Against SRH

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India] - After the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) faced a 55-run defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), team captain Rajat Patidar acknowledged the strong batting performance of their rivals, highlighting their effective use of slow bouncers and yorkers.

Despite the loss, RCB remains at the top of the standings and is set to face the second-placed Gujarat Titans (GT) in the first Qualifier. A victory would secure them a direct place in the final, while a defeat would allow them another chance in the second Qualifier against the winner of the eliminator.

SRH showcased a dominant performance, with significant contributions from Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma, and Heinrich Klaasen, alongside impressive bowling from Sakib Hussain and Eshan Malinga.

In his post-match comments, Patidar noted, “Their top five batsmen performed exceptionally well, clearly dominating the first innings. The pitch didn’t slow down significantly, but their slow bouncers were gripping, and they executed their strategy effectively. We aimed to stay on top, but they scored heavily in the first innings.”

Patidar remarked that while 255 runs is a commendable target on a batting-friendly pitch, SRH's bowlers made it challenging with their tactics. “I believe 255 is a solid score on this wicket. Their bowlers executed the slow bouncers and yorkers effectively. In Hyderabad, it’s a good pitch, but when bowlers use slow bouncers, it becomes tough for batsmen to score,” he explained.

In the match, Ishan Kishan scored 79 runs off 46 balls, while Abhishek Sharma and Heinrich Klaasen contributed 56 and 51 runs, respectively, leading SRH to a total of 255/4 in 20 overs.

During the chase, RCB started strong with a 60-run partnership between Venkatesh Iyer (44 runs off 19 balls) and Virat Kohli (15 runs off 11 balls) but soon faltered, reaching 94/3. Captain Rajat Patidar (56 runs off 39 balls) and Krunal Pandya (41 runs off 31 balls) added an 84-run partnership, but RCB ultimately finished at 200/4. Eshan Malinga and Sakib Hussain were standout bowlers for SRH, with Malinga taking 2 wickets for 33 runs and Hussain 1 for 31.

SRH is now set to compete in the eliminator against the fourth-placed team.