Explained why is Rajat Patidar not playing today with Jitesh Sharma leading the defending champions out at Dharamsala against Punjab Kings in this crucial fixture.
Rajat Patidar is not playing today in the PBKS vs RCB IPL 2026 match at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala on May 17, 2026. The RCB captain has been ruled out of the clash due to a concussion injury sustained in the team’s previous game against Kolkata Knight Riders. Wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma will captain Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Patidar’s absence.
Rajat Patidar Injury Update: What Happened to the RCB Captain?
What happened to Rajat Patidar? Rajat Patidar apparently suffered a concussion scare during RCB’s IPL 2026 match against Kolkata Knight Riders on May 14 in Raipur. KKR pacer Kartik Tyagi bowled a sharp bouncer clocked at 141.4 km/h during the 14th over of RCB’s chase. Patidar, who had just walked in after Devdutt Padikkal’s dismissal, took his eyes off the short ball and was struck on the back of his helmet.
The blow left Patidar visibly shaken, and he was attended to by the RCB physio on the field. He underwent a concussion assessment and was eventually cleared to continue batting in that match. After the game — which RCB won by six wickets courtesy of Virat Kohli’s unbeaten century — Patidar himself downplayed the blow, saying at the post-match presentation: “It was a proper headshot, but I’m fine now.”
Why is Rajat Patidar Not Playing Today
Why is Rajat Patidar not playing today, though, if he was fine during the KKR game after the blow? It is likely that Patidar’s condition deteriorated in the days following the KKR clash. Delayed concussions are common for such blows.
Concussion symptoms do not always appear immediately after impact. Delayed concussion — where symptoms like headaches, dizziness, nausea, or difficulty concentrating emerge hours or even days after the initial blow — is a well-documented medical phenomenon, particularly in contact sports. Patidar’s timeline fits this pattern: he passed the on-field concussion test and completed the innings against KKR, but the decision to rule him out three days later suggests symptoms worsened in the period following the match.
He did not travel with the RCB squad to Dharamsala, was absent from team travel videos, and missed both practice sessions ahead of the Punjab Kings game. An IPL source confirmed to IANS: “Rajat Patidar won’t be playing today. Patidar wasn’t seen in RCB travel videos to Dharamshala and missed both practice sessions.”
Patidar’s concussion adds to a challenging period for RCB on the injury front. The franchise is also without opener Phil Salt, who flew back to England with a finger injury — you can read the latest on when Phil Salt is coming back here on The Dakia.
Who Is Captaining RCB Today in Place of Rajat Patidar?
Jitesh Sharma is captaining Royal Challengers Bengaluru today against Punjab Kings. The wicketkeeper-batter, who serves as RCB’s vice-captain, has stepped up to lead the side — a role he has filled before.
Jitesh captained RCB during IPL 2025 as well, leading the team against Sunrisers Hyderabad when Patidar was nursing a finger injury. Before his time at RCB, Jitesh had also captained Punjab Kings in one match during IPL 2024 — incidentally also against SRH. In the RCB practice match scorecard 2026 before the season, Jitesh had smashed 81 off 37 balls alongside Patidar’s 74 off 25 — the two have been RCB’s leadership spine all season.
Speaking about Patidar’s availability going forward, Jitesh offered a hopeful update: “Hopefully we’ll see him in Hyderabad,” referring to RCB’s final league-stage game against Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 22.
Rajat Patidar’s Injury History in IPL
This is not the first time Patidar has been sidelined by injury during an IPL campaign. The 33-year-old has had a career punctuated by significant setbacks:
- He missed the entire IPL 2023 season after suffering an Achilles injury that required surgery.
- During IPL 2025, he sustained a finger injury in a match against Chennai Super Kings and had to bat with a splint. Jitesh Sharma took over captaincy duties for RCB’s remaining league games, with Patidar returning only as an impact player.
- He played through a finger injury in the IPL 2025 final against Punjab Kings, with the injury requiring treatment immediately after the title-winning game.
- Ahead of IPL 2026, Patidar was ruled out for four months after suffering a muscle tear during India A’s first unofficial Test against South Africa A in November 2025. He managed to recover in time for the start of the IPL 2026 season.
Rajat Patidar IPL 2026 Stats
Despite the latest setback, Patidar has been in exceptional form this season. In 10 innings, he has scored 326 runs at a strike rate of 195, including three half-centuries. His aggressive batting in the middle order has been a key factor in RCB sitting at the top of the IPL 2026 points table with eight wins from 12 matches.
How Does Patidar’s Absence Affect RCB’s Playing XI Today?
Patidar’s absence creates a void in RCB’s middle order at number three. With Phil Salt also still unavailable due to a finger injury, RCB are missing two key batters from their preferred XI. Jacob Bethell is expected to continue opening alongside Virat Kohli, while the team may look to one of their bench options — potentially Jordan Cox or Romario Shepherd — to fill the gap at number three. For the full breakdown of the RCB IPL 2026 squad and bench depth, check our squad analysis.
A win today would confirm RCB’s playoff berth. You can track the full qualification picture — including NRR scenarios and the top-two race — in our RCB qualification scenarios IPL 2026 piece.
PBKS vs RCB Match Details: Toss, Venue, and Conditions
Punjab Kings won the toss and elected to bowl first in the day game at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala. This is a rematch of the IPL 2025 final, where RCB defeated PBKS to clinch their maiden title.
Punjab Kings enter the game under pressure, having lost five consecutive matches after an unbeaten start to their season through the first seven games. PBKS are in a must-win situation to keep their playoff hopes alive. RCB, on the other hand, can confirm their playoff berth with a win today.
PBKS vs RCB Playing XIs
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Playing XI: Jacob Bethell, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Venkatesh Iyer, Jitesh Sharma(wk/c), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Impact subs: Rasikh Salam Dar, Jordan Cox, Abhinandan Singh, Swapnil Singh, Kanishk Chouhan
Punjab Kings Playing XI: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh(wk), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer(c), Suryansh Shedge, Shashank Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar, Lockie Ferguson, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
Punjab Kings Impact Subs: Marcus Stoinis, Xavier Bartlett, Vishnu Vinod, Musheer Khan, Praveen Dubey
This is a developing story. Updates will be added as more information on Rajat Patidar’s concussion status and RCB’s playing XI becomes available.
