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Indian Express
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
RCB win IPL 2025: Rajat Patidar, the soft-spoken man of steel, who leads RCB to their first ever title
Rajat Patidar shakes his head in amusement when probed about a tactical move he cherishes from the IPL, in a show with RCB Bold Diaries. 'Aise kuch nahin,' he says, trying to shake off the question, before he fishes out favourite moment. 'It was during the second league game against Punjab Kings. Prabhsimran Singh was taking the fast bowlers apart when I thought of bringing a spinner. He was hitting in a flow, and off-pace could disrupt it,' he explained his reasoning. He introduced left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya who immediately got the wicket. The incident offered a peep into Patidar's thought stream. His plans are not grand or elaborate, but simple, practical and designed on the move. 'Half of the work (strategising) is done by our experienced support staff, I just have to take care of the on-field issues,' he says with a self-deprecatory smile that suggests that the weight of the role is not crushing him. And on Tuesday, he led RCB to the promised land, delivering the franchise's first ever IPL trophy. The man on the camera, sitting relaxed on a blazing bindi-red couch is the man of the field too. He has the gift of being visible yet invisible at the same is laid back, yet serious, he is not chatty, but his words are measured and meaningful. On the field, he blends into his teammates, is not camera-conscious, rather escapes the camera without even the cameras realising it, is not ultra expressive, but has expressive eyes but an undemonstrative face. He is not the most vocal person of the field, there is a chorus of experienced hands for making the noise. He largely lets the bowlers choose their field, but conveys his opinions when he feels he has to. He rarely vents out his rage or angst. Even in the most anxious moment he keeps his poise, a trait that has won him praise from coaches and pundits. 'There's a calmness and a simplicity to Rajat,' extolls head coach Andy Flower. Staying grounded is the trait that pleased Dinesh Karthik, RCB's mentor and batting coach. 'He 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.' Making him captain was not a desperate or whimsical decision. Flower and Co had watched his style of captaincy in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and detected ample traits in him to lead one of the most popular franchises in the league. 'We really liked what we saw. He's inherently a quiet guy, but observing him, he cares about the people around him. He cares about the people that he plays with, that he shares a dressing room with. And I think that's a quality that means that he will instantly have respect and care from other people, and that, as a leader, those qualities are important in that people will follow you and get behind you. At the same time there is stubbornness and steeliness about him.' The coaches that had moulded him swear on the qualities too. His childhood coach Ram Atre's mind rewinds to the chilly winter mornings of Indore when Patidar would have readied the pitch before the coaches arrived. 'We don't have curators or groundsmen to make the pitch. Usually, the task fell on the freshers to keep the pitch ready before the practice session. But Rajat would do it even after he became a senior player of the club. He was a popular guy, friendly and always talking with a smile on his face. The junior players would flock to him for advice and he would patiently explain to them whatever they had asked for,' he remembers. He had a fierce winning mentality but never pours his anger on his teammates even if they end up on the losing side. 'Of course, he tells them where they have gone wrong, but never puts the blame on others. Rather, he will think deeply about where he has erred and work on it until he gets it corrected. He had the drive from the moment he joined the club. He was six or seven at that time.' he says, before rattling out another anecdote. He points to a six-year old kid who has come to attend the summer camp. 'Rajat was shorter than him and when he first came here, he could not even clear the infield (which is roughly the size of a backyard) of the Dusshera Maidan ground. But he was patient, trained hard and in four-five weeks' time started clearing it with ease,' he narrates. His journey from being snubbed by RCB to captaining them to the final itself is a testament to his patience and a heart of granite. In the mega auction of 2022, the franchise did not retain him. He was disappointed, but he immediately hit the ground running to play local club cricket. 'Each time he suffered a setback, he would make a comeback with double the energy. He wouldn't show his frustration on the ground or during practice, but work quietly, far from everyone's gaze,' says the coach. But as destiny had it, he was recalled towards the end of the season as an injury replacement. He was in two minds as he was certain that he would mostly bench-warm and his wedding was fixed too. In the end, the love for the game won, he postponed the wedding, rejoined RCB and latched onto the break with an unbeaten 112 against Lucknow Super Giants in the eliminator. An ankle injury kept him out of the next season, but RCB retained him, and two years later, he guided them to the final after nine years. When RCB management sounded him about his new role last year, he didn't get overwhelmed but told them that he had captained Madhya Pradesh much, so would go and captain them first before assuming charge of RCB. His heart pounded the first time he walked out for the toss, he told RCB Bold Diaries. 'A lot of questions were passing through my head. Like what I would do with the toss, what if I lose it, about the questions they would ask me. But at the same time I was clear on what I had to do,' he admitted. Two months later, the once-ignored, soft-spoken captain, fulfilled the long unfulfilled dream of RCB with a dream-like narrative of his own.
NDTV
4 days ago
- Sport
- NDTV
Watch: Anushka Sharma Looks On, As RCB Star Asks For Virat Kohli's Face To Be Smeared With Cake. This Happens
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru camp is brimming with excitement and anticipation. The side will be playing its first IPL final since 2016. Facing them at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday will be Punjab Kings, another team which has never won the IPL like RCB. Before the high voltage encounter, the RCB camp had a fun activity celebrating the birthdays of batting coach Dinesh Karthik and captain Rajat Patidar. Post the birthday cake cutting custom, wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma took a proactive role in smearing the faces of his teammates and coaches with cake. Even the like of physio Shankar Basu, Patidar were not spared. Even Jitesh got to 'taste' some cake on his face. In the midst of this, Liam Livingstone, with Virat Kohli by his side, asked Jitesh Sharma to smear the former RCB captain's face with some cake. Anushka Sharma looked on as the request was being made. However, Jitesh Sharma turned down the request with folded hands. ! DK and Rajat's birthday celebrations started sweet, but ended in a cake crime scene. Enjoy, this is @bigbasket_com presents RCB Bold Diaries. #PlayBold #RCB #IPL2025 — Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) June 2, 2025 Ahead of Royal Challengers Bengaluru playing the IPL 2025 final against Punjab Kings, batting coach Dinesh Karthik believes the coaching group, led by Andy Flower, has nailed the process of ensuring players are improving as cricketers during their time of competing. Come Tuesday, RCB will be playing an IPL final for the fourth time at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, after finishing as runners-up in 2009, 2011 and 2016 editions. They are up against PBKS, who are in an IPL final just for the second time. PBKS and RCB had finished in first and second spots in the league stage, with the latter winning over the former in Qualifier 1 at Mullanpur. "When you have a team doing well like we did in the first half, you're almost assured of playing the same 12 for most games unless there's an injury. So you have a group of players, at least eight to ten, who know they might not start or play in that game. 'Keeping their motivation levels up, keeping them hungry, and making sure that when the opportunity comes, they're ready for it is one of the biggest challenges. I must admit, Andy and the group have tried really hard, and they have nailed the process which has kept players not only hungry but also improving. 'Because when they improve, they feel they'll get back better cricketers, either for the domestic sides or for the international sides. That has been a feature of what we've tried to achieve in this short two-month period. I would like to think, and this is feedback only the players can give, that we have genuinely made them slightly better than where they were when we came in,' said Karthik in a video posted by the franchise on their YouTube account on Monday.
Indian Express
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
RCB receive a timely boost as Josh Hazlewood rejoins the squad ahead of their last league match against LSG
With just one league game left in their season before the all-important playoffs, Royal Challengers Bengaluru received a timely boost in the form of a returning Josh Hazlewood, as the fit-again Australian pacer rejoined the squad, the franchise confirmed. Hazlewood hadn't played RCB's last match before the league's suspension, as he was nursing a shoulder niggle, then returned home when the league was paused. The franchise's social media handle teased Hazlewood's return late night on Sunday with pictures of an Australia kitbag with a caption that read: 'Lost and found.' Lost and Found 🤔 — Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) May 24, 2025 Hazlewood has been by some distance RCB's most potent weapon this season, having taken 18 wickets in the 10 matches he has played, at an average of 17.27 and a strike rate of 12.27, meaning he took a wicket roughly every two overs he has bowled – the best in that metric among the top 10-wicket takers of the season. According to an earlier ESPNCricinfo report, Hazlewood – along with Punjab Kings' wicketkeeper Josh Inglis – will be involved in the playoffs from those in the Aussie Test squad for the World Test Championship Final against South Africa starting on June 11. 'With Josh, he's our only player not here at the moment. He's recovering from his shoulder niggle that he had. He's doing that with Cricket Australia. Our medical team and their medical teams have been liaising on what that detail looks like and he's just taking that day by day and he's trying to improve his shot,' Mo Bobat, Director of Cricket, RCB had said ahead of the match against KKR that was eventually washed out on May 16 on the resumption day. RCB's chances of finishing in the top two took a hit in their last match. Chasing 232 against an already-eliminated SRH, opening duo of Phil Salt (62) and Virat Kohli (43) provided RCB a blistering start but rest of the batting faltered as RCB were bundled out for 189 in 19.5 overs. Salt, as did stand-in skipper Jitesh Sharma after the match, saw a silver lining in their defeat, saying they rather have a loss like that in the league stage than in the IPL play-offs. 'The other way of looking at it is, you don't mind having this game not in the playoffs. So, yeah, you can take it as a disappointment or you can take it for what it is,' he said at the post-match press conference. 'We're qualified, we've lost a game. No one likes to lose games of cricket. I'm hating the fact we've lost, as will everybody else in an RCB shirt. You'd rather have that now than you would in an eliminator, let's say. So, we're going to get an opportunity to pick the bones out of it and have a look at things we did well and things we didn't do so well and come back.' 'Good to be back! Hope to get the ball rolling again and start practice tomorrow': Josh Hazlewood 🤩 This is @bigbasket_com presents RCB Bold Diaries. 🎥#PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #IPL2025 — Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) May 25, 2025 RCB face another eliminated side in LSG in the final league match of the season, where they'd know the exact equation requried of them to make it to the top-two. But defeats for PBKS and GT have kept RCB very much in the hunt. Rajat Patidar's side will go through with a big enough win given PBKS play their last match before RCB.
India.com
11-05-2025
- Sport
- India.com
Will RCB Skipper Rajat Patidar Miss Game Against LSG When IPL 2025 Resumes? Heres Latest Update
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 is likely to resume soon after the announcement of a ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan. According to media reports, the BCCI is contemplating to host the remaining IPL 2025 matches in the three venues - Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad from May 16. The new schedule is likely released to the IPL franchise by Sunday night. IPL 2025 was suspended on Friday, May 9, when Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) were scheduled to take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at home. Had the game gone ahead as scheduled, Jitesh Sharma would have led RCB in absence of regular skipper Rajat Patidar, who is currently recovering from a finger injury. "I was very grateful for the opportunity given to me. They were giving me an opportunity to captain RCB and it's a very big thing for me and my family. I was thinking of what the right combination would be because both Devdutt [Padikkal] and Rajat were not available, and it was a big responsibility to replace them," Jitesh said on RCB Bold Diaries. "And as per the position we were on the points table, we would have won this game. All of this was going on in my head and all the meetings with coaches and players in those two-three days, batting order, discussions with bowlers. I had good fun," he added. According to an ESPNcricinfo report, the 31-year-old Patidar suffered the injury while fielding during RCB's home game against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on May 3. He was advised to wear a splint to protect the finger and refrain from training for at least 10 days before the injury could be assessed. The temporary suspension of IPL 2025 due to cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan has given Patidar at least a week's time to recover without missing matches. In normal circumstances, Patidar would have missed at least two matches. The report further mentioned that RCB is being cautious with Patidar's recovery, keeping in mind his availability for the IPL playoffs and as well as his possible selection for the upcoming India A tour of England. The squad for the England tour is likely to be announced in the coming days. RCB skipper Patidar returned to Bengaluru from Lucknow with the rest of the squad. Despite the setback, he was optimistic about playing the remainder of the IPL season if it resumes in the next week. Patidar-led RCB were second on the points table in the IPL 2025 points table with eight wins and three defeats from 11 games. Their remaining three group matches are against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
India Gazette
11-05-2025
- Sport
- India Gazette
IPL 2025: RCB skipper Rajat Patidar recovering from finger injury
New Delhi [India] May 11 (ANI): Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Rajat Patidar, is currently recovering from a finger injury, Patidar suffered the injury while fielding during RCB's home game against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on May 3, as per a report from ESPNcricinfo on Sunday. He was recommended to use a splint to safeguard the finger and avoid training for a minimum of 10 days before evaluating the injury. IPL 2025 has not been temporarily suspended due to cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan. Due to Patidar's injury, Jitesh Sharma was in line to captain RCB against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Friday, but the BCCI announced a one-week suspension of the IPL on May 8. Sharma expressed his gratitude for the chance to captain RCB, highlighting its significance for him and his family. He mentioned the challenge of deciding the right team combination, especially with Devdutt Padikkal and Rajat unavailable, emphasising the weight of responsibility in filling their roles. 'I was very grateful for the opportunity given to me. They were giving me an opportunity to captain RCB and it's a very big thing for me and my family. I was thinking of what the right combination would be because both Devdutt [Padikkal] and Rajat were not available, and it was a big responsibility to replace them,' Jitesh Sharma said on RCB Bold Diaries as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. 'And as per the position we were on the points table, we would have won this game. All of this was going on in my head and all the meetings with coaches and players in those two-three days, batting order, discussions with bowlers. I had good fun,' he added. While announcing the postponing of remainder of tournament for a week, BCCI said that new schedule will be announced in due course. 'The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to suspend the remainder of the ongoing IPL 2025 with immediate effect for one week. Further updates regarding the new schedule and venues of the tournament will be announced in due course after a comprehensive assessment of the situation in consultation with relevant authorities and stakeholders,' BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia had said in the statement. 'The decision was taken by the IPL Governing Council after due consultation with all key stakeholders following the representations from most of the franchisees, who conveyed the concern and sentiments of their players, and also the views of the broadcaster, sponsors and fans; while the BCCI reposes full faith in the strength and preparedness of our armed forces, the Board considered it prudent to act in the collective interest of all stakeholders,' he added. Later in the day, the inaugural edition of the Neeraj Chopra Classic 2025, which was set to be held on May 24 at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru, was postponed until further notice due to rising tensions between the two neighbouring countries. (ANI)
