Courtesy: RCB/IPL
In a latest interview, Indian cricketer Rajat Patidar has expressed his willingness to lead Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) if the opportunity arises. The 31-year-old, who became the one of only three players to be retained by RCB alongside Virat Kohli and Yash Dayal, has been in exceptional form with the bat in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2024, and he has led Madhya Pradesh to the final of the tournament after 13 years.
During the semi-final of the SMAT 2024, Rajat Patidar played an unbeaten innings of 66 runs in just 29 balls with four fours and six maximums, to make light work of Delhi’s 146-run total. At the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, Madhya Pradesh chased down the below par target in just 15.4 overs, to book themselves a place in the final, which will be played at the same venue against Mumbai on Sunday, December 15.
if I get an opportunity to lead RCB, that is what I am there for: Rajat Patidar
Currently, as the third highest run-scorer in the SMAT 2024, Rajat Patidar is on an upward curve in T20 cricket ahead of a busy international season, which will be followed by the 2025 edition of the IPL. During his interview with the PTI, he spoke about how the retention from RCB made him believe in himself more than ever, and remarked, “Yes, definitely. RCB is a big franchise, and I love playing for RCB. So, the retention gave me a lot of confidence.”
Apart from that, when Rajat Patidar was questioned about the potential of leading Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the near future in the IPL, he said, “Of course, if I get an opportunity to lead RCB, that is what I am there for, and I will be happy. But it all depends on the franchise.” It is important to note that RCB haven’t announced the name of their new captain after the departure of Faf du Plessis from the franchise earlier this year, but as per the rumours, Virat Kohli is expected to lead them once again in the IPL 2025 season.
