The captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for IPL 2025, Rajat Patidar, recently opened up about his rollercoaster ride with the franchise, characterized by rejection at first and ultimate success. In an open RCB podcast, he looked back at the 2022 season, when he was left "sad" and "angry" after being snubbed by RCB in the mega auction, despite promises of getting picked up.

The 31-year-old Madhya Pradesh batter, who is now an integral middle-order batter with 239 runs in 11 matches so far this season, was subsequently brought in as a stand-in for injured Luvnith Sisodia. Reluctant at first, not wanting limited games under RCB's star-studded squad, Patidar's return was the springboard for his ascent, topped by his unexpected captaincy.

The shift to captaining RCB, an organization broodingly identified with Virat Kohli, came with huge pressure. Patidar did confess to having felt anxious, struggling with the task of leading a team that included such a cricketing great. Kohli's reassurance, though, was instrumental, with phrases such as "you deserve it, you earned it" soothing Patidar's nerves at the captaincy handover. The moment when Patidar went "completely blank" whilst receiving the plaque indicated the leadership responsibility that lay ahead. Patidar is using Kohli's extensive experience as he takes this opportunity to develop as a leader and try to take RCB to their first men's IPL title.

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Resiliency and Redemption

Patidar's story is one of resiliency. After being overlooked at the auction in 2022, he returned to local cricket in Indore and then ended up being called up as a replacement. He hesitated because of being put in a position where he was guaranteed never to get on the field, and the prolific right hand batter wanted to contribute. His leadership of Madhya Pradesh in the 2024-25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final spoke to his capabilities, and he earned the opportunity to have trust by being named the leader of RCB. Patidar truly exemplifies a story of not allowing setbacks to prevent you from taking opportunities.

RCB skipper Rajat Patidar was left "sad" and "angry" after being ignored by the franchise ahead of the IPL 2022 season despite assurances, only to be called up later as an injury replacement.#IPL2025https://t.co/bh1FNMVBMN

— CricketNDTV (@CricketNDTV) May 16, 2025

As daunting as it is to take over from Kohli, Patidar has stepped into the leadership role. Taking over from the legitimate legend of the game was a surreal moment for Patidar, who is a lifelong admirer of Kohli, and his endearing nature relieved his apprehension in taking the position. Learning from the legendary Kohli, Patidar is looking to harness the support from the legend to lead RCB to IPL success, while he has evolved into the captain role from a reluctant replacement.