PBKS Vs RCB IPL 2025 Qualifier 1: Shreyas Iyer Or Rajat Patidar – Who Will Win Battle Of Captains In Playoffs? – Outlook India

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Cricket
Punjab Kings, led by Shreyas Iyer, are something different this season. After 11 years of drought, they’ve finally secured a playoff spot–and not just any spot, but the top one! The team, still chasing their first-ever Indian Premier League trophy, will face another hungry rival–Royal Challengers Bengaluru, a trophyless side also hunting for glory under Rajat Patidar in IPL 2025 Qualifier 1 on Thursday, May 29, in Mohali.
After leading Kolkata Knight Riders to their third IPL title in 2024, Shreyas Iyer became the hottest property in the leadership market–and Punjab Kings wasted no time. They splashed a staggering 26.75 crore INR at the auction to bring him in. Preity Zinta’s camp couldn’t have asked for more: not only did they secure a captain, but arguably one of the most tactically astute leaders the league has ever seen.
So far, Iyer has played 84 matches as captain, the fifth-highest record in the league, winning 47 games and losing 33.
That results in a win percentage of 58.53%, which is the second-highest record among the top 10 captains with the most matches played, behind Hardik Pandya (58.62%).
Shreyas Iyer’s road to the IPL 2025 playoffs was as impressive as his auction price. He became the first captain to lead three different teams–Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Punjab Kings–to the playoffs, winning the title with KKR last year. He also made history by leading all three to a top-two finish, putting him just behind MS Dhoni (7) and Rohit Sharma (5) for most Qualifier 1 appearances.
The only force powerful enough to deny the Chembur-born star his second captaincy title this season is another captain–Rajat Patidar.
However, it might be a mistake to overlook Royal Challengers Bengaluru amid Punjab Kings’ sensational campaign. While PBKS have grabbed the top spot, RCB’s playoff journey runs parallel, with a force like never before.
This season marks the 10th time RCB has advanced to the IPL playoffs, having appeared in three IPL finals so far.
If PBKS have Shreyas Iyer, RCB too have found an unexpected spark in Rajat Patidar. Not a headline-grabbing superstar or marquee international, Patidar has quietly turned heads–leading RCB to a win over KKR at Eden Gardens on his very first outing as captain, a win that came after 2019.
Half-centuries from Virat Kohli and Jitesh Sharma powered RCB to their highest-ever IPL chase (227), beating Lucknow Super Giants by 6 wickets to secure the top two finish. And it is the right time to remember a pre season interview of Jitesh, who confidently told fans, “E Sala Cup Namde” and assured, “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of everything.”

BY Jagdish Yadav
Speaking of RCB skipper Rajat Patidar’s current form, he started really strong but has recently struggled to maintain consistency, affecting his overall impact. In the last 13 matches, he’s scored 271 runs. So far, in his IPL career since debuting in 2021, Patidar has played 40 matches and amassed 1,070 runs.
However, when it comes to RCB’s overall form, almost every player has earned a Player of the Match award this season. The team has also conceded 200 or more runs in three consecutive matches for the first time in IPL history, including 231 against Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 21 and 211 against Chennai Super Kings on May 3.
Check the PBKS Vs RCB IPL 2025 qualifier 1 match key battles HERE.
Get the Latest Cricket News, Match Results, Schedule, Live Cricket Scores Today, and more at Outlook India.
To follow our special coverage of the Indian Premier League 2025, check IPL 2025 News, IPL Schedule, IPL Points Table, IPL 2025 Stats, Orange Cap, and Purple Cap leaderboards.
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