MASSIVE Update! Rajat Patidar set to return for RCB vs SRH, confirms Jitesh Sharma

Punjab Kings opted to bowl after winning the toss against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their IPL 2026 match at Dharamsala on Sunday.

The match is important for both teams. PBKS are trying to stop a five-match losing run, while RCB are chasing a playoff spot with another win.

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru are being led by wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma in this match as regular captain Rajat Patidar is unavailable. RCB have made two changes to their playing XI, bringing in Suyash Sharma and Romario Shepherd in place of Patidar and Jacob Duffy.

PBKS bring back Harpreet Brar and Lockie Ferguson

Punjab Kings have also made two changes for the crucial clash, with Harpreet Brar and Lockie Ferguson returning to the side.

After winning the toss, PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer said the team was not focusing too much on toss statistics and wanted to stay calm in pressure situations.

“We’re going to bowl. I’m not going by the stats; we’re clearly seeing how the games pan out. If we bat and bowl well, the toss doesn’t matter. I seriously had no clue that this was my 100th game as a captain, but it feels great. It feels like a great opportunity for me to win my 100th game (as captain).”

“The bowling has been fantastic, but there are pressure moments where you need to execute, and so you can’t change the past, nor can you anticipate the future. The beauty is to stay in the moment, see the moment, and enjoy the pressure. Two changes for us (Harpreet) Brar and Lockie (Ferguson) come in,” he added.

Jitesh Sharma leads RCB in Rajat Patidar’s absence

Stand-in RCB captain Jitesh Sharma admitted the team would also have preferred to chase but backed the batting unit to perform on what looked like a good surface in Dharamsala.

“We would have loved to bowl first, but the wicket is good and should play well for 40 overs. Rajat is doing fantastic, and we should see him in Hyderabad. We are at the business end of the tournament, and I’m happy with how the team is performing, both individually and as a unit.“

“Yes, we are very pleased that the team looks so stable right now. We are giving our absolute best in every department. One win tonight secures our spot in the playoffs, so it’s a massive game for us. Absolutely, every game is important at this stage. This win can change the entire table-not just for us, but for several other teams as well. Suyash replaces Rajat and Romario replaces Duffy,” he added.

PBKS desperate to stop losing streak

Punjab Kings started IPL 2026 strongly and looked like one of the favourites for a top-two finish after winning six of their first seven matches. However, their campaign has slipped badly in recent weeks after suffering five consecutive defeats.

Shreyas Iyer’s side currently sit fourth on the points table with 13 points from 12 matches and need a strong finish to stay in the playoff race.

RCB eye playoff qualification

Royal Challengers Bengaluru, meanwhile, have enjoyed an excellent season and currently sit near the top of the table with eight wins from 12 matches.

The Bengaluru side come into the game with confidence after their recent win over Kolkata Knight Riders, powered by Virat Kohli’s century. Another victory in Dharamsala would officially confirm RCB’s place in the IPL 2026 playoffs.

Playing XIs

Punjab Kings: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer (c), Suryansh Shedge, Shashank Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar, Lockie Ferguson, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Jacob Bethell, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Jitesh Sharma (c & wk), Venkatesh Iyer, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma, Josh Hazlewood