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Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Rajat Patidar expressed the need for the team to stay in present and not dwell too much on their title win in 2025, ahead of their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 final clash against Gujarat Titans (GT) on Sunday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
RCB reached the IPL 2026 finals by defeating GT in the Qualifier 1 clash by 92 runs. After losing to RCB, GT got another opportunity to reach the final and made the most of it by defeating Rajasthan Royals (RR) by seven wickets in Qualifier 2. RCB captain Rajat Patidar will have the chance to become only the third skipper to win back-to-back titles after Chennai Superkings' MS Dhoni and Mumbai Indians' Rohit Sharma. Patidar guided RCB to their maiden IPL title in 2025. Despite the possibility of back-to-back IPL titles, Patidar emphasised that the team's focus remains firmly on the present. Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Patidar said that while every captain aims to win trophies, last year's success cannot be carried forward into the current season. He stressed that RCB must focus on the present and do everything possible to win the title in 2026. "Every captain wants to win trophies. We did it last year, but this is a different season. You cannot keep talking about what happened in 2025. We have to stay in the present and do whatever we can to win the title this year," he said. Looking ahead to the contest against GT, Patidar anticipated a closely fought encounter. "Both teams have done really well throughout the tournament. It will be exciting and challenging for both teams," he said. Patidar also emphasised the importance of staying true to the team's identity rather than comparing themselves with the opposition, saying, "It is important to know your strength. You cannot compare yourself with other teams. It is more important to focus on your team and how you play throughout the tournament. According to me, it is more important to play to our strength." (ANI)
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