‘The way Vaibhav batted in powerplay made difference’: Patidar credits Sooryavanshi after RCB’s 6-wkt loss to RR

GUWAHATI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Rajat Patidar credited Rajasthan Royals’ (RR) batters, especially Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, for taking the game away from the defending champions in the powerplay itself in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 match on Friday.

Rajasthan Royals defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru by six wickets. Chasing 202 runs, RR were led by a blazing 78 off 26 balls from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and an unbeaten 81 from Dhruv Jurel. Notably, both the batters unleashed an assault on RCB bowlers as RR stood 97/1 in just 6 overs.

RCB captain Rajat Patidar said RR’s batting, especially Vaibhav Sooryavnashi’s impact, made the difference in the match. “The way their batters, especially Vaibhav, batted in the powerplay, I think that made a huge difference,” he said while speaking at the post-match presentation.

Game recognises Game

One word to describe Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s blitz? #TATAIPL | #KhelBindaas | #RRvRCB pic.twitter.com/NUBZ8nQNYk

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 11, 2026

Patidar also highlighted how RCB, despite early troubles in their batting innings, managed to post 201/8 in 20 overs. He also acknowledged that there are a bunch of learnings for the team from this defeat. “I think the way we started in the powerplay, the initial wickets, and from there, 202, I think that’s a positive sign for us. I think there are a lot of learnings from this game,” he said.

Notably, Royal Challengers Bengaluru posted 201/8 after a strong recovery from a poor start against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati. RCB were reduced to 62/4 and later 94/6 despite early wickets from Jofra Archer and a brief start from Virat Kohli. Captain Rajat Patidar anchored the innings with a 63 off 40 balls, while Venkatesh Iyer’s unbeaten 29 off 15 provided a late boost as RCB crossed 200.

However, Rajasthan Royals defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru by six wickets, extending their unbeaten run to four straight wins while handing RCB their first loss of the season.

Chasing 202, RR’s Sooryavanshi and Jurel combined for a 108-run stand, setting up a dominant chase, with Ravindra Jadeja also contributing an unbeaten 24 as RR reached the target in 18 overs. (ANI)