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Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter and newly-appointed skipper Rajat Patidar on Thursday talked about his style of captaincy and his self-belief after being chosen as Faf Du Plessis' successor ahead of the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season.
Thursday marked the start of a new era for RCB as the 31-year-old Patidar, who has played a crucial role in his franchise's and state Madhya Pradesh's success over the years, was chosen as the new skipper of the Red and Gold franchise ahead of the 2025 season. Speaking in a video posted by RCB on their Instagram, Patidar expressed his happiness at being chosen as the captain and elaborated on his captaincy style, which relies on calmness, game awareness and being rock solid under pressure. https://www.instagram.com/p/DGATxEFqje3/ "My way of captaincy is slightly different. I am more quiet, calm and at the same time, I am aware of the situations, what is needed and what is not needed. I do not express much and I do not really panic in pressure situations and I think this is my strength. There are a lot of experienced leaders in the group of Indians and overseas as well. So I think their input will definitely help me in my leadership role," he said. Reflecting on his journey with RCB, which saw him get released by the team after playing four games in 2021 and being welcomed back as a replacement player following an injury in the camp during 2022 for Rs 20 lakhs, Patidar expressed happiness on his ongoing stint with RCB and support from its loyal fanbase over the years. "I started playing in 2021 for RCB when I got a chance. I did not get picked in the mega auction and I was a bit emotional that I would not get a second chance. All these things were going on in my mind and RCB picked me as a replacement. I had a belief that if this happens, something good will happen," recalled Patidar. "I am very thankful that they have given me a second chance. I was very confident that if I can come this far, I can go further. It was a belief that brought me here and the whole scenario changed," he added. It was Patidar's century against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) during the 2022 IPL eliminator, the first by an uncapped player in an IPL playoff that shot the right-hander into stardom. However, injuries kept him away from the 2023 season. While he spent time away from the sidelines, fans kept supporting him. "I got injured in 2023 and I was away from the game for a year. I had ups and downs in my IPL journey. The way the fans supported me during that time (during injury) was a good moment for me. I felt that I have RCB fans with me who are supporting me. When I came back in 2024, everyone knew that it is tough to come back after an injury," recalled Patidar. However, there is one thing that kept Patidar going despite all hurdles, his belief in himself. "Wherever I go, that word (belief) is always with me. That belief is my strength. I carry that belief with me wherever I go. The way we took the team to the next level and qualified from the bottom (in the 2024 season), that was a happy moment for me," he added. Patidar said that getting appointed as a captain has been the "best moment" of his IPL career. "I am very happy and ready for the upcoming challenges," he concluded. Patidar has captaincy experience as a part of the Madhya Pradesh team across all formats. In last year's Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he led MP to the finals and played a crucial role in their campaign with 428 runs in 10 matches at an average of 61.14, a strike rate of over 186 and five fifties, ending as the second-highest run-getter in the tournament. Patidar's game against spin and ability to tonk sixes against them has been a standout feature of his game. He has been one of RCB's standout Indian talents since 2022, scoring 799 runs in 24 innings at an average of 34.73 and a strike rate of 158.84, with a century and seven fifties. His century against LSG during the 2022 IPL eliminator is a standout knock, making him the first uncapped player with a century in the IPL playoffs. Last season for RCB, he scored 395 runs in 13 matches at an average of over 30 and strike rate above 177, with five fifties. His fiery knocks were crucial in RCB's late surge into playoffs after just one win in first eight games. He has also played an ODI and three Tests for India, having made his international debut against South Africa in 2023-end, playing a fiery 22-run knock. In Tests, he struggled against England at home last year, with just 63 runs across six innings and best score of 32. (ANI)
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