RCB's Rajat Patidar: The Calm Force Behind IPL Victory

Dinesh Karthik Praises Rajat Patidar's Leadership

Dinesh Karthik, the batting coach and mentor for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), has commended Rajat Patidar for his composed leadership style, which played a crucial role in the team's successful title defense against Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL 2026 final held on Sunday.

Patidar has now joined the ranks of MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings) and Rohit Sharma (Mumbai Indians) as only the third captain to secure back-to-back IPL championships. Under his guidance, RCB managed to restrict GT to a score of 155/8 in the first innings and successfully chased down the target with five wickets in hand and two overs to spare.

A Stabilizing Presence in High-Pressure Situations

In an interview on JioHotstar, Karthik emphasized how Patidar's calm demeanor has been a stabilizing force in RCB's high-pressure environment. He noted that Patidar's temperament has significantly enhanced the bowlers' performance during tense moments. Karthik remarked on Patidar's humility, stating that he prefers to be recognized as a 'star' rather than a 'superstar,' even while leading a team filled with prominent players.

"Rajat has been a huge calming influence in a dressing room that is high-octane and high testosterone. He keeps things very calm, and that's so important. The bowlers thrive when you have a calm captain; it definitely helps under pressure. I think he likes to be a star, not a superstar. There are plenty of guys in that team who are big names and get the job done in high-pressure situations," Karthik explained.

Patidar's Impressive Performance

During the IPL 2026 season, Patidar led RCB to nine victories out of 14 matches in the group stage, followed by wins in both the Qualifier and the final. He also made significant contributions with the bat, amassing 501 runs across 14 innings at an impressive average of 41.75.

Leading with Quiet Confidence

Karthik further noted that Patidar's leadership style is characterized by allowing senior players to take charge while he maintains a low profile. "The only time Rajat is aggressive is when he's batting. Other than that, he brings a very calm atmosphere and is happy for a lot of the senior players to go front and centre, which I believe is a very important trait in a leader. He just sits back, allows things to get done, and does exactly what needs to be done in that moment," Karthik concluded.