Hailing from a modest family background in Tamil Nadu, Rajagopal Sathish is a talented batting all-rounder and a brilliant fielder. He was one of the top performers in the rebel league that gave him a lot of recognition, which was otherwise never given to him in first-class cricket.

He moved to Chennai to play league cricket and eventually made it to the Tamil Nadu team for the 2000-01 season. However, he failed to find a regular place in the squad and hence, shifted to Assam in 2003. His batting average touched 54 when he played for Assam and co-incidentally his highest first-class score of 204* came against his home team, Tamil Nadu. He was then persuaded to return to the home team, which he did. Unfortunately, he could not be a regular in the team and that prompted him to join the rebel league. After two successful seasons there, the BCCI offered him amnesty and he quickly accepted it. He then bagged an IPL contract with the Mumbai Indians. Later on in the fifth edition of the IPL, he was transferred to the Kings XI Punjab.