Mo Bobat praises RCB’s balanced performance and Patidar’s captaincy in IPL qualifier win

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Director of Cricket Mo Bobat commended the team’s comprehensive display and Rajat Patidar’s composed captaincy after RCB secured a place in the final of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 by defeating the Gujarat Titans (GT) by 92 runs in the qualifier on Tuesday. RCB’s victory was marked by Patidar’s unbeaten 93 off 33 balls, contributions from Virat Kohli and Krunal Pandya, and impactful powerplay bowling from Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jacob Duffy. These efforts have given RCB the chance to attempt back-to-back IPL titles. Speaking at the post-match press conference, Bobat highlighted the team’s strength in collective effort, stating, “We are obviously pleased that we’ve got a number of people contributing to wins.

So when people say things like a complete team, that’s probably what I would reference. It was a pattern of the way we played last year. We had some guys who stood up with a bat and the ball. And you need that to go far in competitions.

So we’ve had the same thing happening this year. We’re not too dependent on one or two players with a bat or one or two with a ball. We’ve got many people contributing, and that’s the really pleasing thing.” Bobat added that RCB focuses on executing the right brand of cricket and ensuring all players contribute when given the opportunity. “If I look at today, regardless of the result, you know, everybody who had a chance to impact the game and put pressure on the opposition was able to do that. And that’s all we focus on.

We focus on how we play our cricket. And if we do that often enough, and if everybody contributes and fulfils their roles, then results should take care of themselves,” he said. Rajat Patidar was named Player of the Match for his exceptional unbeaten 33-ball 93, which included nine sixes and five boundaries. Coming in at 93-1 in 8.2 overs, Patidar put together a 95-run partnership with Krunal Pandya, who scored 43, and a 40-run partnership with Jitesh Sharma, who made 15, to help set a total of 254/5 in 20 overs.

Bobat praised Patidar’s consistent form throughout the tournament and described his innings in the high-pressure qualifier as special. “He’s certainly batting brilliantly right now, and he has done so throughout the whole competition. That was a really special knock today, and it was great to see, and I’m sure he’ll be really pleased about being able to stand up in a big qualifier, in a big game, and that would be great for the collective confidence of the team,” he said. Patidar, who captained RCB to their first IPL title last year, has maintained strong leadership and batting form this season, scoring 486 runs with an average of 44.18 and a strike rate of 196.76. Bobat noted that Patidar’s aggressive batting and calm leadership have boosted the team’s confidence and that his experience as captain is growing with each game, enhancing his resilience under pressure. “I think any team that’s got the captain playing well, it fills them with even greater confidence.

So that was a pretty special knock. Some outrageous shots but really aggressive intent, and I think that’s leading by example in terms of his captaincy. He’s a very calm individual. It’s one of the things that stood out last year as well, and with every game he captains, he gets more and more experience, and that will only add to his own confidence, his own resilience under pressure,” Bobat remarked.

After being put into bat by GT, RCB posted 254/5, powered by the innings of Patidar, Kohli, and Pandya. In reply, GT’s batting faltered early, with only Rahul Tewatia (68 in 43 balls, including eight fours and four sixes) and Jos Buttler (29 in 11 balls, with three fours and two sixes) crossing 20 runs. GT was bowled out for 162, with Jacob Duffy taking 3/39 and Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2/28, dismantling the top order and accelerating the Titans’ collapse. This marks RCB’s fifth appearance in the IPL final, the third highest after Mumbai Indians with six appearances and five titles, and Chennai Super Kings with ten appearances and five titles.