RCB's Rajat Patidar Reflects on Close Loss to LSG Amidst Bowling Concerns

In a recent match, RCB's captain Rajat Patidar expressed pride in his team's aggressive approach despite a narrow defeat to LSG. He emphasized the need to focus on upcoming matches while acknowledging the pressure exerted by Mitchell Marsh's century. With concerns over their bowling performance, RCB aims to regroup and tackle their next challenges one game at a time. This article delves into the match highlights, player performances, and the team's strategy moving forward.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 8, 2026, 05:07 IST

RCB's Resilient Chase Falls Short Against LSG

Rajat Patidar, the captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), expressed satisfaction with his team's aggressive approach during their run-chase, despite narrowly losing to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). He emphasized the importance of focusing on one match at a time as they approach the final four games of the group stage.

Batting first, LSG's Mitchell Marsh delivered an impressive century, scoring 111 runs off 56 balls, which included nine fours and nine sixes, leading his team to a total of 209 runs in a rain-shortened innings. RCB was set a target of 213 runs according to the DLS method but lost their opening batsmen quickly, ultimately falling short by nine runs due to Price Yadav's outstanding bowling performance of 33 runs for 3 wickets.

'Just One or Two Shots Away'

After the match, Patidar remarked that his team was merely 'one or two shots' away from achieving their target and felt confident about their strategy. He stated, 'We were quite clear on how to approach the target. The boys performed well, and we were just a couple of shots short. It was a great batting surface, and the ball was coming onto the bat nicely. It's tough to analyze right after the game; we need some time to reflect. We have four more matches, and we are taking it one game at a time.'

Patidar praised Marsh's performance, admitting that his powerful hitting put RCB under significant pressure. 'Mitchell Marsh played beautifully, especially during the power play, which kept us on the back foot. I was uncertain about which bowlers to use against him after the power play. His innings was truly remarkable,' he noted.

He concluded by commending his team's fighting spirit, saying, 'The intent shown by all the batsmen was commendable. Everyone is feeling confident and in a good mindset.'

Bowling Woes for RCB

However, RCB's bowling performance raised some red flags, as pacers Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Salam Dar, and spinner Suyash Sharma struggled to contain runs. The team faced early setbacks with their top-order batsmen, including Jacob Bethell, who continued to underperform, leading to RCB's second consecutive loss and their fourth overall in the current season. Wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma also had a disappointing outing, managing only a single run.

Match Summary

Despite a half-century from Patidar and contributions from Tim David, Krunal Pandya, and Romario Shepherd, RCB fell short, dropping to third place in the points table. With this victory, LSG secured their third win of the season, although they remain at the bottom with seven losses. RCB's position has weakened, having lost four matches in this edition.

In the match, Marsh's explosive 111 runs off 56 balls, complemented by a 95-run partnership between Devdutt Padikkal (34 runs off 25 balls) and Rajat Patidar (61 runs off 31 balls), provided RCB with a fighting chance after a shaky start. However, despite efforts from Tim David (40 runs off 17 balls), Krunal Pandya (28* runs off 16 balls), and Romario Shepherd (23* runs off 15 balls), RCB ultimately fell nine runs short.