IPL 2025: Rajat Patidar’s calm command fuelling RCB’s charge – The Times of India

Mumbai:Rajat Patidar and Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s affiliation began on a rocky observe because the franchise offloaded the Madhya Pradesh batter after simply 4 matches into the 2021 season. Four seasons later, Patidar was handed the captaincy to finish RCB’s IPL duck.
He returned to the squad as an harm alternative in 2022, scored 333 runs, together with a century within the Eliminator, and by no means seemed again.

If one thought the stress of captaincy would bathroom him down, he has shot down that notion. He is main RCB’s charge by way of the center overs, making certain they don’t lose the momentum gained by way of the brisk begins given by their high three of Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, and Devdutt Padikkal.
RCB administration believed in his potential and he was the one batter alongside Kohli to be retained by them for this season.
Barring the match in opposition to Gujarat Titans, the 31-yr-previous has made significant contributions. He scored a 16-ball 34 to shut out the match in opposition to KKR, high scored with a 32-ball 51 in opposition to CSK, and helped them put up a preventing complete. Then got here Monday’s knock in opposition to Mumbai Indians, a 32-ball 64 which guided RCB to 221/5.
While Patidar has been positioned at No. 4 to tackle the spinners, he can go after the pacers as effectively. He took Hardik Pandya to the cleaners, scoring 33 runs off 12 balls in opposition to the MI skipper.
Eyebrows have been raised when Patidar was introduced because the skipper, however those that have adopted his trajectory in home cricket would vouch for him.
He has been on high of his recreation captaincy-smart, diminishing the pre-season apprehensions relating to his potential to step into the footwear of Kohli and Faf du Plessis. On the sector, Patidar has been given a free hand to marshal his assets. RCB will hope that Patidar’s fortunate appeal will carry them over the road this time round.