Patidar made history as the first captain to win titles in each of his first two seasons.
Rajat Patidar has become an indispensable part of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) history after leading the franchise to back-to-back IPL titles.
It has been a roller-coaster journey for Patidar, who first joined RCB in 2021, then went unsold next season, and only came back to the Bengaluru-based franchise as a replacement player in 2022.
Patidar admitted that he was hesitant to return to RCB for the 2022 season, as team management told him he would only play if someone gets injured. Reluctant to sit on the bench and juggling a scheduled wedding, he ultimately used the chance and delayed his marriage after his family and circle encouraged him to go for it.
"It's true, I never wanted to join RCB team. I was a little hesitant that they were calling me as a replacement, so definitely they will not give me a chance to play, and that was also the feedback I received when I joined the camp," Patidar said in an interview with Rotoris on YouTube.
"They told me very clearly that, 'We have brought you in as a replacement, so relax, chill. If someone gets injured, only then will you get a chance'," Patidar shared.
"Honestly, I didn't really want to come here. The date for my marriage was fixed as well. I spoke to a lot of people in that situation. I was crystal clear that I did not want to come, because I didn't see myself coming in and just being on the bench the entire time," he further stated.
After joining as a replacement, Rajat Patidar was given the opportunity to play and smashed an iconic 112* off 54 balls in the IPL 2022 Eliminator against the Lucknow Super Giants.
Subsequently, Patidar became an integral part of the setup, eventually being retained and appointed as the captain following the mega auction.
Under his leadership, RCB became only the third team in IPL history to successfully defend their crown, joining Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians. Patidar also made history as the first captain to win titles in each of his first two seasons.