Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Rajat Patidar revealed the turning point of the match after losing to Delhi Capitals (DC) by six wickets at the M Chinnaswamy stadium on April 18.
Rajat Patidar rues RCB's loss to DC
The contest was highly anticipated, with DC eager to secure their third win of the campaign after a mix of early results. A victory was crucial for Delhi to climb into the fourth spot on the points table. Meanwhile, RCB entered the match in high spirits, carrying forward their stellar form from 2025. Sitting comfortably in second place before the game, the Patidar-led side was looking to protect their flawless home record, though they ultimately faced their first defeat at home.
RCB’s batting unit, widely regarded as the most consistent in the tournament, started with promise once again behind Phil Salt. However, the momentum shifted drastically after Salt was dismissed, miscuing a wide delivery from Kuldeep Yadav to Tristan Stubbs at long-off. The collapse that followed saw key hitters like Patidar, Tim David, Jitesh Sharma, and Romario Shepherd struggle against a disciplined Delhi bowling attack. The Capitals effectively controlled the death overs, with Lungi Ngidi utilizing deceptive slower balls and T. Natarajan delivering a masterclass, including six consecutive yorkers.
Delhi's chase began on a shaky note as Bhuvneshwar Kumar dismissed the in-form Pathum Nissanka early, followed by the quick wickets of Karun Nair and Sameer Rizvi in his subsequent over. This put RCB firmly in control, but local favorite KL Rahul steadied the ship. Rahul took the aggressive route, providing Tristan Stubbs the necessary time to settle in and build his innings.
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I feel that we were 15-20 runs short: Rajat Patidar
\After KL Rahul fell shortly after reaching his half-century, Stubbs remained at the crease to anchor the pursuit, eventually finishing unbeaten on 60. The climax arrived with Delhi needing 13 runs off the final four balls. David Miller stepped up as the hero, smashing 16 runs off just three deliveries to snatch victory and secure the two points for Delhi.
Reflecting on the match, Patidar acknowledged that while the team enjoyed a strong start, they ultimately failed to maintain their scoring momentum during the latter half of their innings, which proved costly in the final outcome.
"That was very close, but I feel that we were 15-20 runs short. The way we started initially, especially Virat bhai and Salt, they have given a good start, but from there, after 12-13 overs, we lost wickets in a couple of overs and that put us on the backseat," Patidar said at the post-match press conference.
"I think in the first inning, it was a bit tacky, I would say. But I think the way we stretched in the last over, I think that's a positive sign for us. But I think I was just discussing with the bowlers that they be clear whatever they do. It's a long tournament, but I think we will go back and introspect where we put the errors and we'll rectify them," he added.