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Virat Kohli with Rajat Patidar. (FILE photo)So far, Royal Challengers Bengaluru have been well led by Rajat Patidar in the Indian Premier League 2025. But there was a bit of a dilemma ahead of the season with Faf du Plessis moving on from the franchise, and who would take the reins. Eventually, the responsibility fell to Patidar, who has led the team well and has made some tactically astute moves along the way.
Patidar also recalled how completely clueless he was when he received the captaincy plaque from his idol Virat Kohli. “When he was giving it to me, I was a bit worried about how to take it. I was completely blank about what to do. He told me to hold it. I held it. After that, I was looking at him like, what should I do? “Then he said a couple of words like, ‘you deserve it, you earned it’. So I felt a little bit okay. I mean, when he said this to me then I became normal in that situation. I learn from him as much as possible. So I think that was a special moment… the way he introduced me to so many fans.”
“I had a lot of questions like, there are so many (big players) in the team. Kohli is such a big player. how will you do it under him? I know how supportive he is about this (captaincy change),” Patidar recalled speaking on the RCB podcast. “I knew I had his full support. Like I said, this is a learning for me, it’s an opportunity for me. So, I will learn as much as I can from him. Because no one has the experience and ideas that he has in every role — be it batting, as an individual and as a captain,” said Patidar.
Patidar also recalled how the franchise had promised to buy him for the 2022 IPL after a productive domestic season, but did not. “I had got a message (ahead of the mega auction for IPL 2022) that you should be ready… that we will pick you. I had a little hope that I would get another chance (to play for RCB). But I wasn’t picked in the mega auction. I was a little sad.”
However, Patidar would join RCB midway through the season and even score the famous ton against Lucknow Super Giants in the eliminator in Kolkata that season. “I (had) started playing in my local matches in Indore (after not getting picked in the auction). Then, I got a call that ‘we are picking you as a replacement for Luvnith Sisodia’, who was injured. To tell you frankly, I didn’t want to come as a replacement because I knew that I wouldn’t get a chance to play there, and I always feel that I don’t want to sit there (in the dugout). “I wasn’t angry. It was like, if they didn’t pick me (during the auction), then I won’t get it (get to play). I was angry for a while but then I was normal,” Patidar said.
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