**From Uncertainty to Captaincy: Rajat Patidar’s Roller Coaster Ride with Royal Challengers Bengaluru**
BENGALURU, April 19, 2025 – On a warm and breezy evening at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, fans bask in the anticipation of what could very well be a victorious march towards the playoffs for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). However, the buzz isn’t just about the upcoming clash with Kolkata Knight Riders; it surrounds a man whose journey has been nothing short of a cricketing odyssey.
Rajat Patidar, now captain of RCB, has been in the thick of an emotional roller coaster ride. In an intimate revelation on the RCB Podcast, the middle-order batsman shared his distress over not being picked in the IPL 2022 mega auction. Despite assurances from the franchise, Patidar went unsold, noting, “I was little sad… a little hope that I would get another chance (to play for RCB).”
From Disappointment to Triumph
It is a twist of fate that Patidar’s fortunes took a dramatic turn. Called up as an injury substitute for Luvnith Sisodia in the 2022 season, the Indore-born cricketer was skeptical about his prospects. “I didn’t want to come as a replacement,” he confessed. Regardless, he didn’t just fill a void; he carved his niche with a riveting unbeaten 112 against LSG in a crunch Eliminator, forever etching his name in RCB’s lore.
Skipping ahead to 2025, and after missing the 2023 IPL due to an Achilles heel injury, Patidar bounced back with 395 runs in IPL 2024, demonstrating his mettle as a pivotal playmaker. This performance earned him the captaincy for RCB in the current season, a moment magnified by none other than Virat Kohli. “When he was giving it to me, I was completely blank…Then he said, ‘You deserve it, you earned it’,” Patidar recalls the passover of leadership.
Leading from the Front
Now at the helm, Patidar has tallied 239 runs in 11 matches leading into Saturday’s pivotal match. His leadership is steady, though his batting prowess will be critical in ensuring RCB’s path to the playoffs is unimpeded. Two fifties this season punctuate his batting credibility, and with just one win from securing their playoff birth, the onus is on Patidar to lead both strategically and with the bat.
The atmosphere at RCB’s camp is electrified, with aspirations of not only making the playoffs but also clinching a top-two finish. Such a feat would place them in an advantageous position for the all-important championship run.
RCB’s fans will undoubtedly rally behind their new skipper, who has gone from being a potential draft oversight to the very face of the franchise’s resilience and ambition. May 17 promises to be a defining day in Patidar’s career – one more chapter in an extraordinary narrative of highs and lows.
As the cricket community tightens its focus on RCB’s journey, other news circles the sports world. Rumors about Kusal Mendis favoring the Pakistan Super League (PSL) over IPL due to security concerns have surfaced, stirring debates and speculations. While the cricketing saga continues to unfold both on and off the pitch, Patidar and his RCB contingent remain steadfast, focusing on the charged pursuit of the IPL trophy.
**Did Kusal Mendis swipe IPL for PSL due to a massive Security Threat? The truth is OUT**
[Further inquiry into the story can continue separately, as this is a teaser for another potential story in the world of cricket.]
Catch the further action and more stories as RCB readies itself for the playoff clincher against Kolkata Knight Riders under the stewardship of their determined captain, Rajat Patidar.