Rajat Patidar: Leading RCB in IPL 2025
Rajat Patidar is now the captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. But his journey to the top wasn’t easy.
Early Struggles
Patidar played four games in his first IPL season in 2021. But he was ignored for the next season. He went unsold in the IPL 2022 mega auction, despite promises from the team.
“I got a message before the mega auction for IPL 2022. It said, ‘you should be ready… we will pick you’. I had hope. But I wasn’t picked. I was sad,” Patidar shared on an RCB podcast.
An Unexpected Chance
Luck changed for Patidar when RCB signed him as an injury substitute mid-season. He grabbed the opportunity and scored a stunning 112 off 54 balls in a playoff game. RCB won by 14 runs, and Patidar earned the Man of the Match award.
But at first, Patidar wasn’t eager to join RCB as a replacement. He doubted his chances of playing alongside stars like Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis, Glenn Maxwell, and Dinesh Karthik.
“I started playing local matches in Indore after the auction. Then, I got a call. They said they were picking me as a replacement. Honestly, I didn’t want to come. I knew I wouldn’t get a chance to play,” Patidar admitted.
Becoming Captain
Patidar has since become a key player for RCB. In his fourth season, he has scored 1,038 runs in 38 matches. His average is 31.45, and his strike rate is 154.23.
His century in the IPL 2022 playoff game remains his highest score. This year, he led Madhya Pradesh to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final. His hard work and leadership skills earned him the RCB captaincy.
Taking over from Virat Kohli was a big challenge. But Patidar says Kohli gave him full support and confidence.
“I had many questions. Virat Kohli is a big player. How will I do it under him? I knew I had his full support. This is a learning opportunity for me,” Patidar said.
A Special Moment
Patidar recalls the day he became RCB captain as one of his most memorable moments.
“I have seen Kohli since I started watching TV. To take the captaincy from him… he gave it to me with his own hands. I was completely blank. He told me, ‘you deserve it, you earned it’. That was a special moment,” Patidar shared.
Patidar will lead RCB against the defending champions, Kolkata Knight Riders, at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. This match marks the resumption of IPL 2025 after a temporary suspension.
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