Patidar stands on the brink of becoming only the third captain to win back-to-back IPL titles.
Rajat Patidar is looking to cement his legacy entirely on his own terms as he attempts to lead the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to back-to-back IPL titles.
With RCB one win away from joining MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma as the only skippers to successfully defend an IPL crown, Patidar remains committed to his natural, authentic leadership style rather than copying someone else.
In Qualifier 1 against the Gujarat Titans (GT), Patidar led by example with a blistering, unbeaten 93 off just 33 balls to power his side to a massive playoff record total of 254/5 and a dominating 92-run victory.
RCB will lock horns with GT again in the summit clash, scheduled for Sunday (May 31) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
"Every captain wants to win trophies. But I never change myself because it's important to be yourself. That's what I've focused on. Even if I'm a captain, it doesn't mean I have to do anything different," Patidar told reporters on the eve of the IPL 2026 final.
"So, I've never thought about what a captain has done before and whether I want to compete with someone or not. As an individual, my journey has been a rollercoaster ride. Wherever I live, I focus on what I can do best.
"I've never thought about moving forward or going back. If I'm here, I'm just focussing on what I can do before the final, and tomorrow is the final, so we'll try to give our best," he added.
Patidar thrives by absorbing both on-field tactics and off-field management ideas from veterans like Virat Kohli and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
"There are a lot of learnings, especially off the field and on the field, there are a lot of helping hands. There are a lot of experienced players, from whom I'm getting a lot of good ideas. So, I'm trying to understand those ideas and apply them to the game."
The RCB skipper also credited head coach Andy Flower and director of cricket Mo Bobat for creating an environment that accommodates his distinct personality traits instead of imposing standard molds.
"The management also plays a big role in this because they never force me. They know what kind of an individual I am. Even the senior players know what kind of an individual I am.
"So, there's a good backing from the management and the senior players. So, I've never faced such a problem. And I'm in my zone. So that's helping me," he said.
Having experienced the intense anxiety of being a young player in the RCB dugout in 2021, Patidar actively works to ease the burden on newer squad members.
"I always like to spend time with them. I always try to tell them that it's important to be yourself. I was there in this situation in 2021. I was looking at the senior players. There was anxiety and nervousness.
"So, I keep telling them the same thing. You don't need to look at who is standing in front of you. You are here because you deserve it. Focus on your strength rather than focussing more on what is not in your control."
Rajat Patidar's swashbuckling performances for Madhya Pradesh and RCB have sparked chatter about his inclusion in the Indian T20I setup and even his potential to step in as a captain. While the right-hander has played three Tests and an ODI so far, he is yet to make his T20I debut.
When directly asked about his national ambitions and captaincy roles, Patidar replied, "I'm not looking forward to any selection regarding India. I don't visualise being the T20 captain of India."
(With PTI Inputs)