RCB Captain Rajat Patidar's Blunt Response On Being Asked About Potential India Selection
When asked regarding a potential selection for India's T20I team, RCB captain Rajat Patidar came up with a blunt response.
Royal Challlengers Bengaluru captain Rajat Patidar has made a strong case for his India selection with impressive performances in the Indian Premier League. He was appointed as RCB captain ahead of IPL 2025 and led the side to its maiden title, which came after 18 years. This season, Patidar not only took the team to its second consecutive IPL final, but also improved his performance with the bat. The player has scored 486 runs in 14 games at an average of 44.18 and a strike rate of 196.76. His performances include a sensational 33-ball 93 that came against Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1.
When asked regarding a potential selection for India's T20I team, Patidar came up with a blunt response.
"The answer to your first question is I'm not looking forward to any selection regarding India. So, I'm not looking forward to it," he said on the eve of the IPL 2026 final.
In a fascinating battle of ideologies, the well-balanced and bold RCB will have to subdue a phlegmatic GT to lift their second consecutive IPL title in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
On paper, the reigning champions are the overwhelming favourites against the 2022 winners because of the fearless, high-risk game that they have been playing in this tournament so far.
It has landed them in trouble occasionally, but Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Tim David, skipper Rajat Patidar, Phil Salt, when available, and Venkatesh Iyer have relentlessly pounded the opposition with single-gear batting.
The nature of pitches or opposition bowling strategies have had little effect on their battering ram approach, and no other team has managed to go past 200 as often as they have in this edition of the IPL.
Patidar's calm approach to captaincy too has added to Royal Challengers' stability as a team across the last two seasons.
He is not as evocative as former leaders Kohli or Faf du Plessis, but there is a certain assuredness about the way the 32-year-old does his job, keeping both the superstars and greenhorns in the side at ease.
(With PTI Inputs)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru