Patidar Admits SRH's Mammoth 255 Too Much for RCB in IPL Clash

Top Summary

• What happened: Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) after posting a formidable 255/4 in their IPL 2026 match.
• Why it matters: RCB needed to score at least 166 to maintain a superior net run rate even in defeat, which they managed to do.
• What changes for people: Despite the loss, RCB finished top of the table based on net run rate.
• Who is affected: RCB secures a higher position than SRH and Gujarat Titans (GT) due to a better net run rate.

SRH's Dominant Batting Display

Rajat Patidar acknowledged that Sunrisers Hyderabad's (SRH) imposing total of 255/4 proved too much for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in their IPL 2026 league stage match on Friday. The match was held at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

Half-centuries from Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Heinrich Klaasen powered SRH to the massive score after captain Pat Cummins chose to bat first. SRH ultimately won the match by 55 runs.

RCB's Net Run Rate Advantage

Although both teams concluded the league stage with 18 points, SRH's victory wasn't enough to propel them into the top two. RCB needed to reach 166 runs to stay ahead of SRH on net run rate even with the defeat.

RCB successfully finished their innings at 200/4. Despite the loss, RCB clinched the top spot on the table with a net run rate of 0.783, surpassing Gujarat Titans (GT), who also had 18 points but a lower net run rate of 0.695. SRH concluded the league stage in third place.

RCB's Aggressive Start

RCB initiated their innings aggressively with the new opening partnership of Venkatesh Iyer and Virat Kohli. They amassed 60 runs in just 27 balls.

However, following the dismissal of both openers within a 14-run gap, Devdutt Padikkal sustained the attack before being caught in the deep off Eshan Malinga.

Patidar's Post-Match Analysis

Speaking after the match, Rajat Patidar attributed SRH's success to their superior batting and bowling execution.

 

"Obviously, I think their top five batsmen played really well, and they purely dominated in the first innings."

 

When questioned about the daunting total, Patidar responded:

 

"The top priority was to be on the top, but I think, there were a lot of runs in the first inning. I think 255 is a good score on this wicket. And I think their five bowlers executed the slow bouncers and yorkers pretty well."

 

The Impact of Slow Bouncers

Patidar further elaborated on the effectiveness of SRH's bowling strategy, specifically the use of slow bouncers.

 

"The slow bouncer was gripping a bit, but I think the way... their strength is slow bouncers and yorkers, they executed pretty well."

 

When asked about the difficulty of hitting slow bouncers, Patidar stated:

 

"Obviously, Hyderabad, I think it's a good wicket, but when you start bowling slow bouncers, slow into the wicket, I think it's really tough for the batsman to score the runs."

 

What to Watch Next

With RCB securing the top spot and SRH in third, all eyes will be on the upcoming playoff matches. Fans are eager to see if RCB can capitalize on their strong league stage performance and whether SRH can bounce back from this defeat to make a strong run in the playoffs.