MS Dhoni

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Lore & Background

Patidar's rise to prominence began in domestic cricket, where he was the leading run-scorer for Madhya Pradesh in the 2018–19 Ranji Trophy with 713 runs in eight matches. He made his first-class debut on 30 October 2015 in the 2015–16 Ranji Trophy and his Twenty20 debut for Madhya Pradesh on 8 January 2018 in the 2017–18 Zonal T20 League. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024-25, he captained Madhya Pradesh and was the 2nd highest run scorer of the tournament with 428 runs in 9 innings at an average of 61.14 and a strike rate of 186.08, including 5 half-centuries. He led his team to the finals with a one-man show performance scoring 81* off 40 balls. Patidar also holds the record for the 5th fastest Century in Ranji Trophy, scoring 100 in just 68 balls against Haryana, finishing with 159 off 102 balls.

In Their Own Story

In February 2021, Patidar was purchased by Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL auction ahead of the 2021 season. He scored 71 runs in four matches and was subsequently released. He went unsold in the 2022 IPL auction but was later signed by RCB as a mid-season replacement. On 25 May 2022, he scored an unbeaten 112 runs against Lucknow Super Giants in the Eliminator, becoming the first uncapped player to score a century in an IPL playoff match. His 49-ball century was the joint-fastest in the playoff stage. He finished the season with 333 runs in eight matches at an average of 55.50. Retained ahead of 2023, he missed the entire season due to an Achilles tendon injury. In 2024, he scored 395 runs in 13 innings at an average of 30.38 and a strike rate of 177.13, including five half-centuries. Ahead of 2025, he was retained and appointed captain after Faf du Plessis was released and Virat Kohli chose to continue solely as a player. Under his leadership, RCB won their maiden IPL title in 2025. He continued as captain in 2026, leading RCB to a second consecutive title, becoming just the third captain in IPL history (after MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma) to win championships in successive seasons. He had his best individual season in 2026, scoring 501 runs across 16 matches at a strike rate of 192.36, including an unbeaten 93* off 33 balls in Qualifier 1 against the Gujarat Titans.

Reader's Guide

Rajat Patidar is a right-handed top order batter and off-spin bowler who captains Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL. He made his international debut against South Africa in December 2023, scoring 22 runs in 16 balls in his ODI debut on 21 December 2023. He made his Test debut on 2 February 2024 against England, scoring 32 and 9 runs in the first and second innings respectively. In domestic cricket, he plays for Madhya Pradesh and has been a consistent performer, including being the leading run-scorer for the state in the 2018–19 Ranji Trophy with 713 runs in eight matches. His IPL career includes being the first uncapped player to score a century in a playoff match, with an unbeaten 112 against Lucknow Super Giants in the 2022 Eliminator. As captain, he led RCB to back-to-back IPL titles in 2025 and 2026, with his best individual season coming in 2026 when he scored 501 runs at a strike rate of 192.36.

Did You Know?

• Patidar started his career as a bowler and only began concentrating on batting after his U-15 levels.
• He is the first uncapped player to score a century in an IPL playoff match, hitting an unbeaten 112 against Lucknow Super Giants in the 2022 Eliminator.
• He holds the record for the 5th fastest Century in Ranji Trophy, scoring 100 in just 68 balls against Haryana.
• Under his captaincy, RCB won their maiden IPL title in 2025 and followed it with a second consecutive title in 2026.
• He became just the third captain in IPL history (after MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma) to win the championship in successive seasons.