'He likes to be a star, not a superstar' - Dinesh Karthik applauds RCB captain Rajat Patidar for his calming presence after IPL 2026 victory

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batting coach and mentor Dinesh Karthik has credited captain Rajat Patidar's calmness and leadership skills after beating the Gujarat Titans to win the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) on Sunday, May 31. The Bengaluru-based side managed to retain their crown and thus became only the third side in the tournament's history to do so.

Patidar's arrival as RCB's captain has completely transformed their side's fortune, who went from not winning the trophy for 18 years to having two titles in two seasons.

Karthik believes one of the best qualities that the skipper possesses is that he allows superstars within the squad to showcase their talent while he takes the backseat. The 33-year-old also brings a level of calmness in the dressing room when things are not going as per the plan. The former Indian wicketkeeper, however, did state that the only time Patidar showcases any signs of aggression is when he bats. The right-handed batter ended the tournament with a strike-rate of 192.69 after scoring 501 runs.

"Rajat has been a huge calming influence in a dressing room that is high-octane and high testosterone. He keeps things very calm, and that's so important. The bowlers thrive when you have a calm captain; it definitely helps under pressure. I think he likes to be a star, not a superstar. There are plenty of guys in that team who are big names and get the job done in high-pressure situations. The only time Rajat is aggressive is when he's batting. Other than that, he brings a very calm atmosphere and is happy for a lot of the senior players to go front and centre, which I believe is a very important trait in a leader. He just sits back, allows things to get done, and does exactly what needs to be done in that moment," Dinesh Karthik said on JioStar. 

Patidar joins an elite group of captains who have won multiple IPL titles. The others on the list include MS Dhoni (Chennai Super Kings), Rohit Sharma (Mumbai Indians) and Gautam Gambhir (Kolkata Knight Riders). 

Dinesh Karthik credits Virat Kohli for his knock in the IPL Final

Karthik also went ahead and heaped praise on the experienced players in the squad that collectively helped RCB win their second IPL title. Bhuvneshwar Kumar starred with the ball to take 28 wickets in the tournament and finish just one behind the Purple Cap winner, Kagiso Rabada. 

The former player-turned-coach also stood up and applauded Virat Kohli's innings in the final to help his side cross the finish line. The 37-year-old understood the importance of his wicket in the context of the final and played according to the situation. He scored an unbeaten 75 off 42 deliveries to soak up the pressure and made sure he was there until the end.

"We have a lot of skill in the room. We're a very well-rounded team, both batting and bowling. We've tried to make sure most of the boxes are ticked in terms of the power we have and the skill we possess with the ball. It was great to see someone like Bhuvi bring his experience to the fore from game one right through to the end, he was always there for us. Hazlewood started in a certain way but finished strongly for us. Virat, under pressure and in a big chase, stood up yet again. That's why he's called the King. You can see youngsters playing a lot of different shots, but it was him who brought solidity to the chase. GT wanted one wicket. They knew that if they got Virat at any point, the game would be different for them. He withstood that pressure, and that tells you everything you need to know about him," Karthik said on Jio Star. 

RCB had a relatively balanced side during the IPL and went on to use just 16 players during their title-winning campaign. Hence, Karthik went ahead and appreciated the backup players that stood in for the regular starters and did their job really well. These include the likes of Venkatesh Iyer, Jacob Bethell and Rasikh Salam Dar. The latter took three wickets in the final in Ahmedabad to restrict the Titans to a mere 155 in the first innings. 

"Ideally, I might not want another mega auction, but there's a lot of planning that goes into it. It's one thing to have a good starting XII, but you always know that in a tournament like this, there could be an injury, a player arriving late, or someone dealing with family issues, and you need to be prepared for all of that. Across skill sets, we had some really good backups. When Salty left, Bethell came in. When Bethell got injured, Venkatesh Iyer came in. When Josh Hazlewood wasn't around, Duffy was there, who was the World No. 1 T20 bowler. Rasikh Salam didn't get a game for us last year, but this year, the way he has come in under pressure, constantly bowling tough overs and standing up to the challenge, has been impressive. He's got that character, and it emanates from the way we practise and the clarity Mo and Andy have given to a lot of the players," he added. 

With such a well-rounded squad at their disposal, it is hard to look beyond RCB to win their third title in a row come 2027, should they manage to keep hold of the majority of their squad members.