Published: April 13, 2026 at 9:44 pm
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) skipper Rajat Patidar hit a 20-ball 53 which helped his side post 240 against a strong Mumbai Indians attack. RCB eventually won by 18 runs to continue their domination in the IPL 2026. Patidar has garnered 195 runs thus far in the series and is second on the batter’s list. He is really turning on the heat and the bowlers are finding it difficult to contain him.
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“Rajat Patidar has been a nightmare for bowlers. He comes in and starts attacking from ball one. That intent makes a huge difference. The moment he walked in, he set the tone, and every ball he faced, looked like it could go the distance. He’s been the biggest positive in their batting line-up, and his approach is what really separates RCB’s total from the opposition,” former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan said on JioHotstar’s Google Search AI Mode Match Centre Live.
Irfan also feels that Mumbai Indians have a bit of work to do on their bowling. “There are concerns with the batting, no doubt, but the bigger issue starts with conceding 240. Having said that, chasing 241 on a pitch like this, you still expect them to get closer. The problem was the lack of a solid start in the Powerplay and losing wickets early, which put pressure on the middle order.
“In the middle overs, there were phases where they could have gone big but didn’t. Hardik Pandya got runs but never looked in full control, Tilak Varma has now had a few quiet innings, and players like Rickelton need to find more options against spin. Those small gaps made the difference,” he said.
Kohli’s role is important: Harbhajan
Another former India player Harbhajan Singh said Virat Kohli’s role for RCB is very crucial. “Virat Kohli’s half-century came at a slightly slower pace. You could see he wasn’t fully satisfied, especially with the way Phil Salt was scoring at the other end. But his role was crucial. He ensured there were no early wickets and provided stability at the top.
“While players like Rajat Patidar and Salt played more aggressively, Kohli anchored the innings and allowed them to play their natural game. Against someone like Jasprit Bumrah, he was very cautious and played him intelligently, but he made sure to capitalise on the other bowlers whenever there was an opportunity,” Bhajji said.
The off-spinner also had a word of praise for left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya. “Krunal Pandya was outstanding, conceding just 26 runs in four overs and picking up a key wicket like Suryakumar Yadav is a massive contribution. People often say he doesn’t turn the ball much, but in T20 cricket, it’s more about game awareness than big spin.
“He uses his angles, pace, and understanding of conditions brilliantly. We talk a lot about batters, but matches like these are won by bowlers, and Krunal was the biggest difference. For anyone who says spinners don’t work at Wankhede, this was a perfect example of how to adapt and use your skill intelligently,” Harbhajan said.
