RCB captain Rajat Patidar (IPL Photo)

Chennai: For years, Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s captaincy baton has passed through the hands of stalwarts like Kevin Pietersen, Anil Kumble, Daniel Vettori, Virat Kohli, and Faf du Plessis. Yet, none could crack the code against Chennai Super Kings at their home base, the Chepauk.
Then came Rajat Patidar, certainly not the most decorated name, who has, in his very first stint as captain, done what giants before him couldn’t—lead RCB to a historic win at the Chepauk after 17 long years.
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In a format where the game moves at breakneck speed, leadership decisions can be overshadowed by individual brilliance. But some of these decisions decide the outcome. RCB opener Phil Salt was quick to acknowledge his skipper’s impact, praising how Patidar kept the visitors on the front foot throughout the game.

“Brilliant captaincy. He is brilliant in all areas. To take the initiative with the new ball is one thing, but to not take the foot off the gas and drive it home… there was not one period of the game when we let the pressure off the opposition. You have to tip your hat off to the bowlers and Rajat for doing that,” Salt said.
Be it leading from the front with a fluent knock of **51 (32b; 4×4, 3×6)** in the trickiest phase of the innings against CSK’s lethal spinners, his bowling changes that broke budding partnerships in the middle overs, or his precise field placements, Patidar orchestrated them all seamlessly.
During his innings, he took on the young, crafty chinaman Noor Ahmad with a towering six and punished the seasoned Ravindra Jadeja with two fours and a six. The 31-year-old later said, “It was a very important innings from me because we were targeting 200. My goal was clear. As long as I was there, I would maximise every ball.”