IPL 2026: Rajat Patidar wins toss, RCB opt to bowl against DC

Rajat Patidar (Pic: PTI)

Rajat Patidar won the toss and elected to bowl first as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) took on Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi.

RCB currently sit second on the points table with 10 points, while DC are placed seventh with six points.

After winning the toss, Patidar expressed confidence in chasing on what is traditionally a high-scoring venue.

"We will bowl first. This venue is a high-scoring ground, so it should not make much difference. We will look to put them under pressure in the second innings. The most important thing is that different players are stepping up and delivering in different matches. We have played some good cricket and want to carry that momentum forward. The past is behind us; we are focused on continuing to play good cricket," Patidar said.

Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel admitted that he, too, would have preferred to field first. He also expressed hope that his side could bounce back after their previous defeat to Punjab Kings.

"I would have fielded if I had won the toss. The ground dimensions are small, and the pitch tends to improve, so chasing would have been ideal. In the IPL, even scoring 264 does not guarantee a win. It is a long tournament, and we have performed well with both bat and ball. Had we taken our chances, the result might have been different," Axar said.

He added that the team remains focused despite setbacks.

"You have to keep doing the right things. Even the best fielders drop catches sometimes. Luck may not always be on your side, but you cannot dwell on it. We have made changes to the bowling attack - Chameera and Jamieson come into the side. While Mukesh has done well, he has been rested, and we are bringing in international bowlers to strengthen the attack," Axar Patel added.

Confirmed Playing XI for both teams:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI): Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar(c), Jitesh Sharma(w), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam Dar

Delhi Capitals (Playing XI): Sahil Parakh, KL Rahul(w), Nitish Rana, Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Axar Patel(c), Dushmantha Chameera, Kyle Jamieson, Kuldeep Yadav, T Natarajan