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© 2026 IPL T20 News. All rights reserved.

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    1. News
    2. Royal Challengers Bangalore

    Workload Management, Not Injury, Behind Rajat Patidar's Cautious Return Ahead of IPL 2026

    Analysis by Third Umpire·January 7, 2026

    Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) received a positive update regarding the fitness of captain Rajat Patidar amidst a string of injury concerns plaguing the squad ahead of the IPL 2026 season. While Patidar made his long-awaited return to competitive cricket for Madhya Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, scoring 29 runs, his delayed entry into the tournament was confirmed to be a precautionary measure rather than a fresh injury setback.

    Reports indicate that Patidar was advised rest as part of a careful workload management plan, having recently recovered from a left ankle issue sustained before the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. This measured approach is aimed at ensuring the top-order batter is fully fit and prepared for the demands of the upcoming IPL season, offering a measure of relief to the RCB camp.

    This news provides a crucial silver lining for RCB, which is currently grappling with injury clouds over several key overseas players, including Phil Salt,

    Tim David
    , and
    Josh Hazlewood
    . Patidar's successful return to the field, even if managed cautiously, is vital as the franchise looks to defend its maiden IPL title in 2026.

    This analysis was generated by Third Umpire using official IPL statistics and live match data.

    Learn how this works →
    Rajat Patidar

    “No injury, was just advised rest since he had just recovered from a left ankle issue before SMAT. Slow workload build-up heading into the IPL.”

    Shashank Kishore
    Player
    Rajat Patidar
    Specialization
    Batter
    Team
    RCB
    Analyze
    Analyze Performance
    Team
    Team Performance
    View Full Profile →

    Related Statistics

    IPL 2025 Top Order Highest Score Leaders | Position Analysis

    Best highest score at Top Order position in IPL 2025

    RankPlayerTeamhighScore
    #1
    Rishabh Pant
    Rishabh Pant
    Lucknow Super Giants128*
    #2
    Marcus Stoinis
    Marcus Stoinis
    Punjab Kings124*
    #3
    Sanju Samson
    Sanju Samson
    Chennai Super Kings119
    #4
    Rajat Patidar
    Rajat Patidar
    Royal Challengers Bangalore112*
    #5
    Rohit Sharma
    Rohit Sharma
    Mumbai Indians109*

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    More on Rajat Patidar

    Rajat Patidar Returns to Competitive Cricket for Madhya Pradesh Ahead of IPL 2026
    RCB

    Rajat Patidar Returns to Competitive Cricket for Madhya Pradesh Ahead of IPL 2026

    The only good thing is that Patidar recovered from an ankle injury and returned to action. However, Patidar’s delayed entry into the Vijay Hazare Trophy was not due to any fresh injury.

    Third Umpire·January 8, 2026
    RCB Recruit Jacob Bethell Blasts Maiden Ashes Century, Joins Elite List at SCG
    RCB

    RCB Recruit Jacob Bethell Blasts Maiden Ashes Century, Joins Elite List at SCG

    A maiden Test century for Jacob Bethell! What a way to do it 🤩

    Third Umpire·January 7, 2026
    Devdutt Padikkal Credits Dinesh Karthik and Andy Flower for RCB T20 Transformation
    RCB

    Devdutt Padikkal Credits Dinesh Karthik and Andy Flower for RCB T20 Transformation

    To be honest, all the credit for that goes to DK (Dinesh Karthik) and Andy (Flower) at RCB. To be honest, the way they helped me through that phase and helped me understand how I can maximise my game in the T20 format helped me a lot in terms of understanding what I needed to do.

    Third Umpire·January 7, 2026
    Rajat Patidar

    “No injury, was just advised rest since he had just recovered from a left ankle issue before SMAT. Slow workload build-up heading into the IPL.”

    Shashank Kishore
    Player
    Rajat Patidar
    Specialization
    Batter
    Team
    RCB
    Analyze
    Analyze Performance
    Team
    Team Performance
    View Full Profile →