RCB chairman Aryaman Birla celebrates ex-MP teammate Rajat Patidar's Qualifier 1 heroics
IPL 2026: Now RCB chairman, Aryaman Birla hailed former Madhya Pradesh teammate Rajat Patidar after his explosive Qualifier 1 innings against GT. Patidar's unbeaten 93 off just 33 balls powered RCB into a second straight IPL final
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) chairman Aryaman Birla shared a heartfelt social media story for former Madhya Pradesh teammate and current RCB captain Rajat Patidar after his breathtaking Qualifier 1 knock against Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. Aryaman reposted visuals of Patidar’s innings on Instagram with the caption “Rajat bhai”, celebrating the knock that powered RCB into a second straight IPL final.
Patidar produced one of the finest innings of the season in Dharamshala, smashing an unbeaten 93 off just 33 balls at a strike rate of over 281. His brutal assault helped RCB post 254 for 5, the highest total in IPL playoff history, before the defending champions Gujarat Titans were bowled out for 162 in a crushing 92-run defeat.
Qualifier 1, RCB vs GT: Highlights | Scorecard
FROM MP TEAMMATES TO RCB LEADERS
Long before Aryaman Birla became chairman of Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Patidar evolved into the franchise’s IPL-winning captain, the two had shared the dressing room together in Madhya Pradesh cricket.
Aryaman, son of industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla, had seriously pursued professional cricket during his younger years and represented Madhya Pradesh between 2017 and 2019. During that phase, he regularly played alongside Patidar in the MP setup, with the duo even opening the batting together on several occasions.
Patidar, meanwhile, was steadily emerging as one of Madhya Pradesh’s most dependable domestic batters. His breakthrough came during the 2018-19 Ranji Trophy season when he finished as MP’s leading run-scorer with 713 runs in eight matches.
While Patidar continued climbing the domestic ladder and eventually established himself in the IPL, Aryaman stepped away from professional cricket to focus on responsibilities within the Aditya Birla Group. His domestic journey, however, did include a first-class century against Bengal at Eden Gardens.
Their paths crossed again in IPL 2026 after the Aditya Birla Group-led consortium acquired RCB ownership, with Aryaman becoming chairman of the franchise while Patidar was appointed captain ahead of the season.
HOW PATIDAR DEMOLISHED GT IN DHARAMSHALA
Patidar walked in to bat with RCB at 99 for 3 in the 11th over and completely changed the momentum of the Qualifier 1 clash. He needed only 21 deliveries to bring up his half-century before turning the death overs into a complete demolition job against the GT bowling attack.
The RCB skipper hammered five boundaries and nine sixes during his unbeaten 93, with Gujarat bowlers struggling badly once Patidar began targeting the shorter square boundaries in Dharamshala.
RCB eventually scored 114 runs in the final six overs of the innings, with Patidar remaining unbeaten till the very end. The total of 254 for 5 eventually became the highest score ever recorded in IPL playoff history, surpassing Gujarat Titans’ previous record of 233.
GT never recovered during the chase and were bundled out for 162, handing RCB a dominant 92-run victory and a direct place in the IPL 2026 final as the defending champions moved one step closer towards a possible title repeat.
IPL 2026 | IPL Schedule | IPL Points Table | IPL Player Stats | Purple Cap | Orange Cap | IPL Videos | Cricket News | Live Score
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) chairman Aryaman Birla shared a heartfelt social media story for former Madhya Pradesh teammate and current RCB captain Rajat Patidar after his breathtaking Qualifier 1 knock against Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. Aryaman reposted visuals of Patidar’s innings on Instagram with the caption “Rajat bhai”, celebrating the knock that powered RCB into a second straight IPL final.
Patidar produced one of the finest innings of the season in Dharamshala, smashing an unbeaten 93 off just 33 balls at a strike rate of over 281. His brutal assault helped RCB post 254 for 5, the highest total in IPL playoff history, before the defending champions Gujarat Titans were bowled out for 162 in a crushing 92-run defeat.
Qualifier 1, RCB vs GT: Highlights | Scorecard
FROM MP TEAMMATES TO RCB LEADERS
Long before Aryaman Birla became chairman of Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Patidar evolved into the franchise’s IPL-winning captain, the two had shared the dressing room together in Madhya Pradesh cricket.
Aryaman, son of industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla, had seriously pursued professional cricket during his younger years and represented Madhya Pradesh between 2017 and 2019. During that phase, he regularly played alongside Patidar in the MP setup, with the duo even opening the batting together on several occasions.
Patidar, meanwhile, was steadily emerging as one of Madhya Pradesh’s most dependable domestic batters. His breakthrough came during the 2018-19 Ranji Trophy season when he finished as MP’s leading run-scorer with 713 runs in eight matches.
While Patidar continued climbing the domestic ladder and eventually established himself in the IPL, Aryaman stepped away from professional cricket to focus on responsibilities within the Aditya Birla Group. His domestic journey, however, did include a first-class century against Bengal at Eden Gardens.
Their paths crossed again in IPL 2026 after the Aditya Birla Group-led consortium acquired RCB ownership, with Aryaman becoming chairman of the franchise while Patidar was appointed captain ahead of the season.
HOW PATIDAR DEMOLISHED GT IN DHARAMSHALA
Patidar walked in to bat with RCB at 99 for 3 in the 11th over and completely changed the momentum of the Qualifier 1 clash. He needed only 21 deliveries to bring up his half-century before turning the death overs into a complete demolition job against the GT bowling attack.
The RCB skipper hammered five boundaries and nine sixes during his unbeaten 93, with Gujarat bowlers struggling badly once Patidar began targeting the shorter square boundaries in Dharamshala.
RCB eventually scored 114 runs in the final six overs of the innings, with Patidar remaining unbeaten till the very end. The total of 254 for 5 eventually became the highest score ever recorded in IPL playoff history, surpassing Gujarat Titans’ previous record of 233.
GT never recovered during the chase and were bundled out for 162, handing RCB a dominant 92-run victory and a direct place in the IPL 2026 final as the defending champions moved one step closer towards a possible title repeat.
IPL 2026 | IPL Schedule | IPL Points Table | IPL Player Stats | Purple Cap | Orange Cap | IPL Videos | Cricket News | Live Score
