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New Indian Express
9 hours ago
- Sport
- New Indian Express
Rise and rise of RCB captain Rajat Patidar
AHMEDABAD: As Rajat Patidar got down on one knee and smashed Musheer Khan into the New PCA Stadium stands, leading Royal Challengers Bengaluru into the 2025 IPL final, he had become a part of an elite club of captains to achieve the feat. Patidar joined Anil Kumble, Daniel Vettori and Virat Kohli — they are the ones to have led RCB to previous IPL finals — in taking the franchise with a massive fan base to their fourth summit clash in 18 years. At this point, it is well established that RCB Director Mo Bobat asked Patidar whether he would be interested in taking the leadership role and from coming back into the team as an injury replacement in 2022 to leading the franchise to the 2025 IPL final, he has had a meteoric rise. And so is the fact that he was all set to get married during the IPL season before being called in as an injury replacement for Luvnith Sisodia. However, it wasn't the first time Patidar was asked if he wanted to be captain. In fact, when the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association and head coach Chandrakant Pandit offered Patidar the Ranji captaincy four years ago, he wished to focus on his performance. "Initially, when we offered Ranji captaincy, Chandu sir asked him, and he was reluctant. He said, 'No, I want to concentrate on my batting',' MPCA secretary Sanjeev Rao recalls. And he did concentrate on his batting. Patidar had two stellar seasons with the bat, averaging over 80 in red-ball cricket during the 2021-22 and 2022 seasons. In the season after, he went on to accumulate 884 runs and soon reaped the rewards with an India call-up. After two seasons with RCB, he made his ODI debut in 2023 and then played Test cricket for India next year. With all the experience and exposure he had since the captaincy offer when Pandit took over as head coach, when Bobat asked the question, Patidar wanted to give it a go in domestic cricket. He went to MPCA and Pandit and asked if he could lead the white-ball sides. 'He volunteered himself this year in the Mushtaq Ali Trophy, 'Chandu sir, I'll lead the team.' He said, 'Since Shubham Sharma was our Ranji captain, and he is doing well, he shouldn't be disturbed.' When Chandu sir offered him T20 captaincy, he readily accepted,' says Rao. As fate would have it, things fell into place for Patidar and MP. He led the state side to the final of the domestic T20 tournament — the knockouts were played in Bengaluru. Patidar smashed 428 runs at 61.14 average and 186.08 strike rate, taking the team to the summit clash. However, they fell short in the final hurdle against the Shreyas Iyer-led Mumbai. During these knockout games, Patidar and Bobat spent a lot of time talking about captaincy and his leadership. Bobat, too, gave him confidence that he could succeed as captain.
Time of India
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
'Biggest eye-opener for me in life': Dinesh Karthik lauds RCB captain Rajat Patidar's character
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) mentor has heaped praise on the new skipper , lauding the batter's grounded nature and unchanged behaviour even after taking over the leadership reins of the franchise. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Patidar, 32, was a surprise pick as RCB captain ahead of IPL 2025, especially given his limited captaincy experience — his most notable being leading Madhya Pradesh to the final of the 2024/25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Yet, according to Karthik, the responsibility hasn't altered Patidar's core character. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. "Rajat Patidar has been the biggest eye-opener for me in life," Karthik said on the second episode of RCB's Journey to the Finale. "Because when people suddenly get a little bit of adulation, power, they tend to change… But with Rajat Patidar — what a guy. He has been exactly the same that he was before becoming the captain." RCB have ended a nine-year wait to reach the IPL final, steamrolling Punjab Kings in the Qualifier 1 with an eight-wicket win. A collective bowling effort dismantled PBKS for 101 in 14.1 overs before Phil Salt's 27-ball 56 sealed a swift chase in just 10 overs. Poll Do you believe Patidar's humility will positively impact RCB's performance? Yes No Director of Cricket Mo Bobat echoed Karthik's sentiments, praising Patidar's calm, collaborative approach: "He's incredibly calm. And it's been good to see him use the people around him — Jitesh, Virat, Krunal, Josh. He's embraced everyone's strengths." IPL 2025 Winner Prediction: What Greenstone Lobo's Astrology says As RCB prepares for their shot at the elusive title, it's Patidar's humility and quiet steel that seem to be powering the charge.
Hindustan Times
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Karthik calls RCB star 'biggest eye-opener' after reaching IPL 2025 final: 'When people suddenly get power, they change'
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's brilliant run to the IPL 2025 final has had many architects, but none more quietly influential than their new captain, Rajat Patidar. For a side that began the season amid uncertainty with no Faf du Plessis as captain, Patidar emerged not just as a calm tactician but a personality that has won over the dressing room. Dinesh Karthik, RCB's batting coach and mentor, didn't hold back while hailing the skipper's unchanging nature in the face of power. 'Rajat Patidar has been the biggest eye-opener for me in life,' Karthik said during the second episode of RCB's Journey to the Finale, as quoted by News18. 'Because when people suddenly get a little bit of adulation, power, they tend to change. It's normal. Their behavioural pattern, the way they kind of interact. Somewhere, something will show. But with Rajat Patidar, what a guy he is. For someone who is a captain of RCB, and today he calls the shots, he has been exactly the same that he was before becoming the captain, Rajat.' Patidar's rise came on the back of leading Madhya Pradesh to the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. But RCB's faith in him, despite having a senior presence like Virat Kohli, was a gamble that has paid off in style. They finished second in the league stage and overcame multiple injury setbacks to storm into the final. The journey has had enormous highs even as RCB won just one match at their home ground in Bengaluru. They lost key names like Josh Hazlewood, Jacob Bethell, Devdutt Padikkal, and even Patidar himself for brief spells. Yet, their consistency and ability to regroup made them one of the most dangerous sides in the tournament. RCB's Director of Cricket, Mo Bobat, also underlined Patidar's steady presence and willingness to lean on the group. 'I think one of the most impressive things that Rajat has shown is that, and he does this as a personality and character anyway, anyone who knows him knows he's incredibly calm,' Bobat said. 'And it's been good to see him use the people around him, whether that's Jitesh as vice-captain, or Virat as a senior player, Krunal as another senior player, or even someone like Josh Hazlewood.'
News18
3 days ago
- Sport
- News18
Rajat Patidar Becomes 5th Indian To Reach IPL Final In 1st Year As Captain
Last Updated: Rajat Patidar-led Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Punjab Kings by 8 wickets in the first qualifier of IPL 2025 played in Mullanpur on Thursday (May 29). Rajat Patidar was appointed as Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain in February 2025, and on Thursday (May 29), he joined MS Dhoni, Anil Kumble, Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya in an elite list by becoming the fifth Indian to qualify for the IPL final in his first year as captain. Under Patidar's leadership, RCB hammered Punjab Kings by 8 wickets in the first qualifier of IPL 2025, played at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, Chandigarh, to book a place in the summit clash of IPL 2025. Patidar won the toss and invited PBKS to bat first, after which the Shreyas Iyer-led side could only manage to post a total of 101 runs on the board in 14.1 overs. The target of 102 runs was not a tough one to chase down, and the three-time losing finalists achieved the objective in 10 overs for the loss of two wickets. Dhoni was the first Indian to reach the IPL final in his first year as captain. He achieved the feat in 2008 for the Chennai Super Kings. Anil Kumble led RCB in 2009, and he also captained the Bengaluru-based franchise to the final, but like CSK, RCB also finished as runner-up. Indians to reach IPL final in 1st year as captain Rohit was appointed as Mumbai Indians captain in the middle of IPL 2013, and he led the Mumbai-based franchise to a title win by getting the better of Dhoni's CSK in the final. Hardik Pandya equalled Rohit's feat by winning the IPL title with Gujarat Titans in 2022. After becoming only the fourth RCB captain after Kumble, Daniel Vettori and Virat Kohli to reach the IPL final, Patidar would like to enter his name in the history books on Tuesday (June 3) by becoming the first captain to win an IPL title for RCB. In the final of IPL 2025, which is scheduled to take place at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on June 3, RCB will face the winner of the second qualifier match, which will be played between Punjab Kings and the winner of the eliminator match between Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians on Friday (May 30) in Mullanpur. First Published: May 29, 2025, 22:04 IST
India Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- India Today
Rajat Patidar sends message to RCB fans after reaching final: Just one more game
Rajat Patidar sent a message to the RCB fans for their support as the team beat PBKS in Qualifier 1 in Mullanpur to make it to the final. Bengaluru produced a clinical performance with the ball as they bundled out Punjab for just 101 runs, the second-lowest total in IPL play-offs history. After that, Phil Salt's 54 helped RCB cross the line by 8 wickets to book their place in the final for the first time in nine years. It was fitting that Patidar hit the winning runs as he has led from the front throughout the season. Speaking at the post-match presentation, the RCB skipper sent a message to the fans, thanking them for their support everywhere they go. Patidar said that the team loves them and it is all about one more game and they will get to celebrate together the title. advertisementIPL 2025 Qualifier 1: Highlights | Scorecard "I want to thank RCB fans, not only Chinnaswamy but wherever we go, we feel at home. We all love you. Just one more game and let's celebrate together," said Patidar. Patidar said that they were very clear with the bowling plans and the pacers used the surface well and Suyash chipped in as well. "We were very clear in our bowling plans. Fast bowlers used the surface pretty well. The way Suyash chipped in with his line and length was incredible," sad Patidar. Patidar said that he was very clear with Suyash when it comes to his bowling. The RCB skipper said that he wants the bowler to try and hit the stumps consistently and didn't want to confuse him. advertisement"As a captain I am pretty much clear about his bowling. His strength is to bowl in line of the stumps. His googly is very hard to pick. I don't want to confuse him. We don't mind him conceding a few runs," said Patidar. The RCB skipper also doffed his hat to Phil Salt, saying that he is a big fan of him. "The way he's batting in most of the matches. The way he's giving the start, it's a dream to watch him from the dug out. I am a huge fan of him," said Patidar. RCB now wait for their opponents in the IPL 2025 final on June 3. Tune InMust Watch IN THIS STORY#IPL 2025
