Patidar will join the likes of MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma if he defends the title. However, if he fails to defend the title, he will join an embarrassing
club containing the likes of Hardik Pandya and Shreyas Iyer
Last year, when the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) lifted their maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title, a section of cricket enthusiasts and experts was shocked, given that it came under the captaincy of Rajat Patidar – an underrated player who was never considered a leader of the highest order.
This season, by leading the team to consecutive finals, Patidar has proved that last season’s captaincy and victory weren’t a fluke. However, Patidar is currently at a strange crossroads, where winning or losing will place him in either an elite or an embarrassing club.
The elite club
The elite club is pretty obvious and known to the majority of hardcore IPL fans. If Patidar leads RCB to their second title, or should we say, their second consecutive title, he will join the likes of MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma in doing so.
CAPTAINS TO LEAD THEIR TEAMS INTO BACK-TO-BACK IPL FINALS 🏆🔥
MS Dhoni (2010, 2011)
Rohit Sharma (2019, 2020)
Hardik Pandya (2022, 2023)
Shreyas Iyer (2024, 2025)
Rajat Patidar (2025, 2026*)
Rajat joins an elite list of IPL captains 👏🔥#RCB #RajatPatidar #IPL2026 #Cricket 🏏 pic.twitter.com/JcFFzi6E1q— Akaran.A (@Akaran_1) May 27, 2026
After all, Dhoni led CSK to two consecutive IPL titles in 2010 and 2011, whereas Rohit Sharma achieved the feat with the Mumbai Indians in 2019 and 2020.
Therefore, this elite club would not worry Patidar.
Not-so-special club
However, Patidar would be worried about a not-so-special club, i.e., the skipper of a winning team losing the final in the next season.
#OTD in 2011, Chennai Super Kings successfully defended their title by outclassing the RCB by 58 runs in the final to secure back-to-back IPL trophies! 💛🏆
[Chennai Super Kings, IPL, Final, Champions, On This Day] pic.twitter.com/hwfAB0063M— 100MB (@100MasterBlastr) May 28, 2026
Let us begin with Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who is a part of this club. In 2011, when he helped CSK lift its second consecutive title, he had the chance to lead the team to a third consecutive title in 2012. He even led his team to the final but lost to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
To be honest, his inclusion on this list feels unjust, considering he led the team to consecutive trophies, making it difficult for us to comprehend the expectation of him achieving a third consecutive title.
Champions in 2022. 🏆
Runners-up in 2023. 🥈
Everything seemed perfect for Hardik Pandya at Gujarat Titans. But after his move to Mumbai Indians as captain, things haven't gone to plan. ❌
Three seasons without reaching an IPL final, and now reports suggest his captaincy could… pic.twitter.com/JI0gJgmyjd— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) May 29, 2026
2022 saw Hardik Pandya lead the Gujarat Titans to the IPL title, and his team returned for a second time in the 2023 final. However, the team lost to the Chennai Super Kings.
The third captain on this list is Shreyas Iyer, who won the trophy as captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024. In 2025, he captained the Punjab Kings to the final, but unfortunately, Patidar & Co. emerged victorious.
If Patidar managed to lift the trophy on Sunday, he would soon become a major contender for captaincy in the Indian T20 national side. However, if he loses, the cycle since 2022 will continue.
