The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) skipper Rajat Patidar started off his journey as the captain of the franchise on a high by winning his first-ever match at the helm.
Under the leadership of Rajat Patidar, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) beat the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 7 wickets at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata to start their IPL 2025 campaign on a great note.
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There was pressure, but it was a good day for me – Rajat Patidar
Winning the toss and bowling first in the match, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) bowlers were initially taken to the cleaners, but they made a stunning comeback to restrict Kolkata Knight Riders to 174/8, which was a gettable score.
Chasing the target, Phil Salt and Virat Kohli blasted brilliant fifties and the rest of the batting unit stepped up, including Patidar, who scored 34 runs, as RCB completed the run-chase in 16.2 overs.
Speaking during the post-match presentation ceremony, Rajat Patidar lauded spinners Suyash Sharma, Krunal Pandya, and other bowlers. He elaborated:
“There was pressure, but it was a good day for me. If we keep winning like this, it will be a good day. It was pretty clear for me – I don’t mind Suyash giving runs, he was our main wicket-taking bowler, so I backed him.
“(on Krunal and Suyash) All credit goes to both the bowlers, from 13 overs, they showed courage and determination. The mindset of taking wickets was really amazing.
It’s a great opportunity for me to learn from one of the great players – Rajat Patidar on Virat Kohli
When asked about the influence of Virat Kohli on the field, Rajat Patidar said that he is lucky to get the opportunity to learn from the legendary player about the game as the former skipper provides him with great support. He said:
“(on Kohli) It’s really great when you have a player like him, it’s a great opportunity for me to learn from one of the great players of the game.”
“That was pre-determined shot, I was going over covers, the ball nipped back and it went automatically,” Rajat Patidar said when asked about his shot off the pacer Harshit Rana over backward point.
What Happened in the Previous IPL Match Between KKR and RCB?
In their previous match, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) played a thrilling contest at Eden Gardens on April 21, 2024, in the 36th match of the season. KKR managed to beat RCB in a high-scoring affair to clinch an epic 1-run win.
Being invited to bat first, KKR posted a great 222/6 in 20 overs, courtesy of a sensational start by Phil Salt. The Englishman blazed his way to 48 runs off just 14 balls, setting the tone for an aggressive innings. Shreyas Iyer anchored the innings with a brilliant 50 runs off 36 balls, while Rinku Singh (24 off 16) Andre Russell (27* off 20), and Ramandeep Singh (24* off 9) provided the finishing touches.
All the RCB bowlers had a tough time in the innings, with Yash Dayal (2/56) and Cameron Green (2/35) being the only ones to pick multiple wickets.
Chasing the target, RCB put up a good performance but fell just one run short at 221 all out. Will Jacks (55 off 32) and Rajat Patidar (52 off 23) played counterattacking knocks, but KKR’s bowlers struck at crucial moments. For KKR, Andre Russell was the game-changer as he took 3 for 25, including the key wickets of Jacks, Patidar, and Dinesh Karthik.
