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Story of Rajat Patidar and His Career Highlights Till Now The Indian Premier League's motto, "where talent meets opportunity," has been successfully drilled into everyone's head over the past several days if you weren't previously aware of it. However, there is some merit to the phrase. In addition to providing some of the greatest names in cricket with hefty paychecks, the financially robust Indian league has also given aspiring Indian cricketers a valid career option, giving them something to aspire for other than the improbable India spot. Rajat Manohar Patidar, a right-handed batter for Madhya Pradesh who is twenty-eight years old, is one such player who utilized his skill to the fullest at the IPL stage when it truly counted.
Patidar’s journey has been the point of talk in the cricket fraternity for quite a while now. Let’s have a peek.
Getting Promoted Up the Chains Fast bowler Patidar started playing cricket, but he had to turn to off-spin to get a berth in junior cricket. After undergoing an ACL repair in his right knee in 2014, Patidar began to advance up the ranks after taking up batting more seriously under former Indian cricketer Amay Khurariya. Over the past several years, he has become a crucial component of the Madhya Pradesh team. Although Patidar's List A career has yet to reach its height, he has been playing outstanding cricket for MP in First Class, where he averages above 40 and has seven hundred in 39 games. His T20 statistics are impressive; in 39 games, he averaged 35.11 and struck out at 142.31, with nine hundred and a high of 112.
Entering RCB Even though Patidar and colleague Venkatesh Iyer were in excellent form in the 2021 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the batter was anticipating being signed by Kolkata Knight Riders. As a result, his selection by Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL 2021 was not exactly a surprise. Patidar received four chances in IPL 2021 but failed to take advantage of them despite impressing RCB-hitting instructor Sanjay Bangar during the four-day fitness camp and scoring a lot in the practice games. After a successful domestic season, Patidar was not purchased in the vast IPL auction in 2022 and was instead getting ready for his wedding.
Even a hotel in Indore had been reserved for the low-key event, scheduled to take place on May 9. However, the booking had to be delayed since Patidar was forced to return to RCB to fill up for the ailing Karnataka wicketkeeper-batsman Luvnith Sisodia. Patidar, unlike in 2021, was fully prepared for the occasion after scoring 142 against Kerala in the Ranji Trophy. It was commendable that the RCB management also allowed the dynamic batsman the go-ahead to attack the bowling. He paid back the team's trust with significant scores of 52 against the Gujarat Titan and 48 versus Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Record-Breaking Achievements The RCB supporters anticipated great performances from players like Glenn Maxwell, Faf du Plessis, and Virat Kohli in the high-profile Eliminator match against the Lucknow SuperGiants. However, Rajat Patidar ended up having the better of the Lucknow SuperGiants bowlers with a remarkable performance of 112 not out of only 54 deliveries, loaded with 12 fours and seven sixes. He proved that he belongs at this level by playing well against the elite LSG pace three of Mohsin Khan, Dushmantha Chameera, and Avesh Khan.
His strike rate against spinners Krunal Pandya and Ravi Bishnoi was 263.63, the fourth best of any batsman in an IPL inning, as he clubbed 58 runs off only 22 balls against them. Patidar's player-of-the-match triumph advanced RCB to Qualifier 2 and set several records in addition to winning the contest. The RCB batsman became the fourth uncapped player with an IPL tonne and the first one to do it in the playoffs, joining Virender Sehwag and Shane Watson, with Wriddhiman Saha and Murali Vijay as well as the only other players to do so.
Call-Up for India Still Some Distance to Go Although Patidar's 42-ball 58 against Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2 wasn't as effortless as his performance against LSG, he still finished as the team's leading scorer. A few of his smashes through the covers off Prasidh Krishna's short-pitched deliveries traveling at speeds close to 150 kph provided glimpses of Rohit Sharma. They demonstrated that Patidar was not just at ease against spin but also needed help handling proper fast bowling. This characteristic distinguishes domestic performers from individuals who advance to the world stage.
Even though he has a few talented batsmen ahead of him in the lineup, and a national call-up may be some time off, another good IPL season would make it very tough for the Indian selectors to overlook the elegant hitter.
Kohli's Support Virat Kohli, the former captain, was instrumental in hastening Patidar's inclusion in the RCB XI in 2021. Following one of the most excellent IPL performances ever by the 28-year-old, Kohli gushed again about the MP dasher.
"Because I've been in circumstances when you have to pass the line as a team, the enormity of the game was so great that I could sense the tension in the air. Nobody should take for granted the exceptional nature of what he accomplished. You should recognise the quality of the innings and value being a cricketer when seeing one like that.
After the game, I also informed him that I had witnessed a lot of impact innings and stressful innings throughout the years. In a post-game interview with an IPL writer, Kohli gushed over Patidar's century: "I haven't seen much more potent than how Rajat performed today. After Patidar plays for Madhya Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy knockouts, his previously postponed wedding will take place in July. If Patidar's idol and RCB partner, Virat Kohli decides to attend, the event could no longer be as low-key. After his spectacular IPL feats, Patidar's family could reserve a more opulent location for the upcoming nuptials.
Like many of his pals, Rajat Patidar hoped to sign a contract with the Indian Premier League this season. None of the ten firms showed interest in him when the franchisees gathered for the mega-auction in Bengaluru in February.
Patidar believed Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), where he played four games last season, may invite him back. But during a two-day period, RCB decided not to make an offer for him. The 28-year-old Indore batsman was disappointed by the rejection, but he never gave up hope. He phoned Devendra Bundela, a former Madhya Pradesh captain, coach, and a pillar of state cricket, only a few days after the mega-auction to pick his thoughts. There will likely be a strong season in Patidar shortly.
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