Although rajat patidar

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be without their regular skipper Rajat Patidar for their IPL 2026 clash against Punjab Kings at the HPCA Stadium here on Sunday, with wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma set to lead the side in his absence.

An IPL source confirmed to IANS about Patidar’s absence from the clash which is a re-match of the 2025 IPL final, where RCB edged PBKS to win their first title. “Rajat Patidar won’t be playing today. Jitesh will be the captain of RCB for this clash. Patidar wasn’t seen in RCB travel videos to Dharamshala and missed both practice sessions. He will be back for RCB’s last game in Hyderabad,” further said the source.