Royal Challengers Bengaluru may be the defending champions, but captain Rajat Patidar has made it clear that his team is not thinking about “defending” the title this season.
After starting IPL 2026 strongly, RCB have hit a slight dip, losing their last two matches. With the league stage moving towards the business end, the race for a top-two finish has become tighter. Still, Patidar doesn’t want the team to feel extra pressure just because they won the title last year.
Instead of focusing on defending anything, he wants the group to look at the bigger picture and play freely.
ALSO READ: WATCH: Virat Kohli’s Dressing Room Pep Talk After Two-Ball Duck vs LSG Goes Viral
“We are not playing this season as the defending champions. Instead we have an opportunity to be champions once again,” Patidar said at the post-match press conference in Lucknow.
“We are not with the mindset that we need to defend anything. We want to have an attacking game, and with an attacking mindset, we have an opportunity to be champions once again.”
In many cases, teams that return as champions tend to become more careful, worrying about protecting their title. Patidar, however, wants to avoid that completely and keep the focus on positive, attacking cricket. He also stressed that the team is not carrying the past into the current season.
“We are not in a defensive mindset or defensive frame of mind regarding that. The title that we won was for 2025. In this new season, we are trying to stay in the present and do our best for the team.”
ALSO READ: Gautam Gambhir Set To Add Punjab Kings Stalwart To India Coaching Team After IPL 2026
RCB's upcoming match
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will now face Mumbai Indians (MI) in their upcoming clash which will take place on May 10 at Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur.
How RCB will qualify for the Playoffs
Despite the LSG's defeat, RCB are the are in a strong position to qualify with 12 points from 10 games and the best Net Run Rate (NRR). They need 2 wins from their final 4 matches to secure 16 points, making them safe, while 3-4 wins guarantee a Top-2 finish.