Royal Challengers Bengaluru have suffered a major setback ahead of their crucial IPL 2026 fixture against Punjab Kings in Dharamshala, with regular captain Rajat Patidar officially ruled out of the match due to injury.

In Patidar’s absence, wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma will lead the side in one of RCB’s most important games of the season as the franchise pushes for a top-two finish in the IPL points table. Patidar sustained an injury during Bengaluru’s last match and is recovering well.

“Rajat is doing fantastic now and hopefully we’ll see him in Hyderabad (for the next match),” stand-in captain Jitesh said at the toss.

RCB all but through to IPL 2026 Playoffs

Patidar, who led the team to their first and only title in 18 years last season, was retained by the team for 11 crore Indian Rupee. He has played a key role in RCB’s campaign this year, both as a batter and leader. His absence comes at a sensitive stage of the tournament, with Bengaluru strongly placed in the playoff race and still chasing the significant advantage that comes with finishing inside the top two.

RCB currently hold one of the strongest qualification positions in the league stage and remain among the favourites to secure a direct route to Qualifier 1.

The captaincy switch also puts the spotlight firmly on Jitesh Sharma, who now faces one of the biggest leadership tests of his IPL career. The wicketkeeper-batter will be leading RCB in a high-pressure encounter against a Punjab Kings side fighting to stay alive in the playoff race.

High-pressure game for PBKS

For Punjab Kings, the clash carries near must-win importance after an inconsistent campaign. For RCB, however, the focus will be on ensuring that Patidar’s absence does not disrupt the momentum they have built during the second half of the season.

The match also revives memories of the intense rivalry between the two teams following last season’s IPL final, adding another layer of pressure to an already crucial contest in Dharamshala.