Aryaman Birla, Rajat Patidar's Ex Teammate, Shares Priceless Post As RCB Enter IPL Final
Rajat Patidar delivered a captain's knock on Tuesday night, propelling Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a dominant 92-run victory over Gujarat Titans in Dharamsala.
Rajat Patidar delivered a captain's knock on Tuesday night, propelling Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a dominant 92-run victory over Gujarat Titans in Dharamsala. Batting first, RCB posted a massive 254/5 in 20 overs, with Patidar smashing 93 off just 33 balls, including five fours and nine towering sixes. Later, RCB backed up their batting brilliance with a strong bowling performance, bundling GT out for 162. With this comprehensive win, RCB marched into the final of IPL 2026 and are now just one step away from successfully defending their title.
As RCB entered the summit clash, team chairman Aryaman Birla took to Instagram to share a heartfelt message for skipper Patidar. Posting a picture from the match, he captioned it: "Rajat Bhai!!!!"
The bond between Aryaman and Patidar dates back to 2017, when both were part of the Madhya Pradesh domestic team and shared the dressing room as players.
Between 2017 and 2019, the duo opened the innings together in several domestic matches. Aryaman, who also scored a first-class century against Bengal, later stepped away from cricket to join his father Kumar Mangalam Birla's conglomerate, the Aditya Birla Group.
Fast forward to 2026, RCB was acquired by a consortium led by the Aditya Birla Group, reuniting Aryaman with Patidar. However, this time, Aryaman returned as the chairman, while Patidar remained at the helm as captain.
Speaking after the match, Patidar heaped praise on his teammates following RCB's dominant victory over GT in Qualifier 1.
"It was a super game for us and the way especially the batsmen dominated in this game, the way everyone was striking with intent, that was good for us. It's not a clear plan (to go after the GT bowlers), but we're ready for it because you have to show some body language that we are coming for you. That was there in every batsman. So we had a chat in the meeting, we have to give a good body language and the attacking mindset," said Patidar during the post-match presentation.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Gujarat Titans