Rajat Patidar credits team responsibility ahead of IPL 2026 final

RCB captain Rajat Patidar said a strong sense of responsibility among players has been central to the team's success this season. Ahead of the IPL 2026 final against Gujarat Titans, he stressed focusing on team strengths, bowling depth and staying present-minded

Hyderabad: Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Rajat Patidar believes a collective sense of responsibility has been one of the defining factors behind the team’s success this season as RCB prepare to face Gujarat Titans in the Tata IPL 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday evening.

The summit clash will mark RCB’s fifth appearance in an IPL final, and victory would make them only the third franchise in tournament history to win back-to-back titles.

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Looking ahead to the contest, Patidar anticipated a closely fought encounter.

“Both teams have done really well throughout the tournament. It will be exciting and challenging for both teams,” Patidar said.

Patidar also emphasised the importance of staying true to the team’s identity rather than comparing themselves with the opposition.

“It is important to know your strengths. You cannot compare yourself with other teams. It is more important to focus on your team and how you have played throughout the tournament. According to me, it is more important to play to our strengths.”

Both teams head into the final with bowling attacks that have played a major role in their success this season, particularly in the powerplay.

Patidar remarked, “If you want to win this competition, you need a good bowling attack. It is important to take wickets because these days it is easy to score 200 or 220. But defending those totals is more difficult, so you need a better bowling side. Both teams have the same strength in that regard. The way both teams have bowled throughout the tournament has been outstanding.”

With Bhuvneshwar Kumar leading the way with 26 wickets this season, Patidar highlighted the importance of support from the rest of the bowling group, citing Rasikh Salam Dar as an example.

“When you have top bowlers like Bhuvi and Hazlewood, you still need support from the other bowlers as well. The way Rasikh has come in and contributed to the team by providing breakthroughs has been important. You cannot win a competition or a match with just one or two bowlers. The way Rasikh has bowled throughout the tournament has been superb and it has really helped the team.”

While the prospect of consecutive IPL titles awaits, Patidar stressed that the group remains firmly focused on the present.

“Every captain wants to win trophies. We did it last year, but this is a different season. You cannot keep talking about what happened in 2025. We have to stay in the present and do whatever we can to win the title this year.”

According to Patidar, a collective sense of ownership has been one of the defining characteristics of this RCB side.

“Every player is taking responsibility, whether he is going out to bat or bowl. Responsibility is the main word that every individual is thinking about. Everyone is keen to contribute to the team. We are here to play finals and win finals.”