Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa heaped praise on Rajat Patidar‘s captaincy as he believed that Royal Challengers Bengaluru had a bright chance of ending the trophy drought. RCB are currently sitting at the top of the points table with two wins in as many matches. Rajat Patidar, who was retained by RCB, was elevated to the leadership role for the first time in the cash-rich league. The stylish batter Rajat Patidar looked calm and composed while leading the side against two former champions – Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders.
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru came in to the 2025 edition of the Indian Premier League with Rajat Patidar at the helm after the team let Faf du Plessis walk away in the auction.
With talisman Virat Kohli taking a backseat on the leadership role, RCB caused some surprise by opting to ask Rajat Patidar to captain the team. But the gamble seems to be paying off, at least in the initial games of IPL 2025 with RCB currently on top of the IPL standings with two wins from two games, thanks to wins over five-time champions Chennai Super Kings and defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders.
Rajat Patidar’s career highlights and his journey with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
Rajat Patidar even made his debut for India last year, in the home series against England, but after scores of 32, 9, 5, 17 and two ducks, he was dropped. But his real talent lies in T20 cricket. Recently, Rajat Patidar led Madhya Pradesh to the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where his side lost to Shreyas Iyer-led Mumbai. The right-handed batter Rajat Patidar has been in phenomenal form, hitting spinners for fun.
Rajat Patidar was the second-highest run-scorer in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with 428 runs in nine innings at an average of 61.14 and strike rate of 186.08. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he made 226 runs at an average of 56.50 and strike rate of 107.10.
Rajat Patidar, one of the three players to be retained, first joined RCB in IPL 2021, where he played just four matches and scored 71 runs. He then once again joined the franchise in 2022 as a replacement for the injured Luvnith Sisodia for INR 20 lakh, and scored 333 runs, with his highest score being 112 not out.
His knock came in the Eliminator against Lucknow Super Giants at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata. The right-hander then missed the 2023 season due to an injury. In the last season, Rajat Patidar managed 395 runs at an average of 30.38 and a strike rate of 177.13.
However, he was released from the squad ahead of the 2022 season and went unsold at the auctions. An unfortunate injury to Luvnith Sisodia during the 2022 season, allowed Rajat Patidar another chance with the RCB as a replacement player. He made a strong impression, scoring 333 runs in 8 innings, including a century, and since then became an integral part of the side.
Rajat Patidar’s appointment is a fresh direction for the Royal Challengers, who have been led by Virat Kohli and du Plessis over the years. Kohli first captained the team in May 2011, stepping in for Daniel Vettori who was not available for three matches. He took over full-time captaincy of the team in 2012 and led the team until the 2021 season.
Under Kohli’s captaincy, RCB made the playoffs in 2015 and were the runners-up in the subsequent year, a season in which the star batter scored a record 973 runs. They also reached the playoffs stage in 2020 and 2021. Royal Challengers also made the playoffs in two seasons in the 2022-24 cycle, when du Plessis was the captain of the side after Kohli stepped down. The senior Indian batter, however, captained the team in three matches in 2023, standing in for du Plessis who was recovering from a rib injury and featured only as an Impact Player.
RCB looked well-balanced on the field and produced clinical performances, with Rajat Patidar showing great signs as a skipper. Robin Uthappa was also highly impressed with Rajat Patidar’s leadership and dropped an F-bomb while praising him.
Former batter Robin Uthappa makes massive claim on Rajat Patidar ahead of RCB vs GT IPL 2025 match
Former India and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Robin Uthappa heaped praise on Rajat Patidar’s captaincy so far in the IPL 2025 season. Rajat Patidar was retained by RCB for ₹11 crore and also named their captain for the new season.
The franchise had released Faf du Plessis, their previous captain, and trusted a young leader to take over the reigns than going back to Virat Kohli. While there were several question marks over this move, Patidar has impressed in his first two games as captain.
Uthappa believes that RCB can do something special this year with Patidar leading the side.
“I have a feeling about RCB this year. I’ll tell you why, because of Rajat Patidar! His leadership in the last couple of games has been f*****g unbelievable! It has been so good!” he said on the The KimAppa show with cricket analyst Jarrod Kimber (via The Indian Express).
RCB beat defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their first game by seven wickets in Eden Gardens. They then trashed the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) with a 50-run win at Chepauk. With two wins from as many games, they are at the top of the points table as well.
“What I love about Patidar is proactiveness and the calmness in which he exercises his proactiveness. It’s so cool to see someone who’s leading a team for the first time on the IPL stage exercise the level of calm that he has exercised, right. He’s not reactive. He’s trusting the the processes,” Uthappa added.
What’s more impressive about Rajat Patidar’s side is they have won away games against two of the biggest IPL sides. Rajat Patidar has been calm and composed on the field as RCB captain in the IPL 2025 so far. He has also taken some brave calls and his decisions have been spot on.
Robin Uthappa highlighted the same, recalling the dismissal of Andre Russell from the match against KKR. Patidar got spinner Suyash Sharma back into the attack while Russell was batting. The leg-spinner had been expensive but was called back to dismiss the dangerous West Indian, which he eventually did.
“The fact that he bought Suyash Sharma back into the attack when when Andre Russell came into bat (in the RCB vs KKR game), when he knew that Suyash has already already given 40 runs in three overs. He said (to Suyash) ‘I picked you to get this guy out. Now get this guy out, I need you to do it for me!’
“To exercise that level of faith in your first game as a captain when your bowler has gone away for 40 runs in three overs… tells you he has the character. For me that defines that Patidar has got character,” he said.
RCB next face Gujarat Titans at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday, April 2.
Also Read:Â KKR vs RCB: Virat Kohli’s Belligerent Match Winning Knock Gives A Warning To Other IPL Teams