Rajat Patidar's Journey with RCB: From Reluctance to Stardom

Rajat Patidar's Reluctant Start with RCB

In 2022, Rajat Patidar found himself in a surprising situation when he was called up as an injury replacement for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Initially, Patidar expressed his hesitation about joining the team, believing that he would not get a chance to play. He recalled that the RCB management had informed him that he would only participate if another player was injured. Patidar had first joined RCB in February 2021 after being acquired in the IPL auction, but he returned in April 2022 as a mid-season replacement for Luvnith Sisodia, following a few appearances in the 2021 season and going unsold in the 2022 auction.

"I never wanted to join RCB because I felt that being called as a replacement meant I wouldn’t get to play. They made it clear that I was just a backup, saying, ‘So, relax, you will only play if someone gets injured.’ Honestly, I was not keen on joining the team," Patidar shared in an interview with Rotoris. He mentioned that he had a wedding planned and was determined not to sit on the bench, stating, "If I’m going there, it’s to play. I’d rather not go if I’m just going to sit there."

Despite his initial reluctance, Patidar discussed his situation with family, coaches, and senior players, who encouraged him to seize the opportunity and postpone his wedding by two months. Fortunately, he ended up playing in eight matches during IPL 2022, making a significant impact. Notably, he scored an impressive 112 runs off 54 balls in the Eliminator against the Lucknow Super Giants. His performance solidified his role as a middle-order finisher, leading to his captaincy in 2025 after Virat Kohli stepped down. Patidar then guided RCB to two consecutive victories in 2026, finally ending the team's trophy drought.