Rajat Patidar broke his silence on India’s T20 captaincy and set his sights on back-to-back IPL titles

TimesofIndia.com in Ahmedabad: Rajat Patidar stands on the brink of history. The win over Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad will make the Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain only the third captain after MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma to win back-to-back Indian Premier League (IPL) titles.“I never thought about what another captain did and whether I want to compete with someone or not. I never thought about that,” he told reporters here.“And as an individual, my journey has been a rollercoaster. I’ve never focused on that. Wherever I am, I focus on what I do best.“I never thought about moving forward or coming back. If I’m here, I’m just focusing on what I can do before the final. Tomorrow is the final, so we’ll try to do our best,” he added.Patidar, who led RCB to their long-awaited maiden crown in 2025, now has a chance to cement his place among the league’s most successful leaders on the biggest stage.Patidar played an aggressive 33-ball 93 against GT in Qualifier 1 to lead his team to a stunning 92-run victory.The Patidar’s stock has risen significantly in recent times and the speedy batter from Madhya Pradesh, who will turn 33 in a few days, is increasingly seen as someone who could lead India in T20Is.However, the right-handed batsman, who has played three Tests and a solitary ODI for India, is yet to make his debut in the shortest format of the game. On the eve of the final, he dismissed questions about national selection and any ambitions to captain India.“I’m not looking forward to any selection regarding India. So I’m not looking forward to it,” he said when asked about the India invite.On the Indian captaincy, Patidar said, “I don’t envision myself as a T20 captain in India. But at the same time, every captain wants to win trophies.”

Is Rajat Patidar the right leader for Royal Challengers Bengaluru?

Patidar joined RCB in IPL 2022 as a mid-season replacement for the injured Luvnith Sisodia. He finished IPL 2022 with 333 runs from eight innings at an impressive strike rate of 152.50. His outstanding performances included a breathtaking 112 off 54 balls against Lucknow Super Giants in the Eliminator. Although RCB’s campaign ended in the very next game, he carried on his rich form with a fluent 58 in Qualifier 2 against Rajasthan Royals. A few weeks later, he completed his dream run by smashing a match-winning century for Madhya Pradesh against Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy final.IPL 2022 turned out to be a game changer for Patidar.In IPL 2025, he was handed the captaincy of RCB, a franchise that had never won the trophy. They came agonizingly close several times, but never managed to win the title.After winning one title and standing on the verge of another, Patidar is not looking back.“We did it last year, but it’s a new season again. You can’t keep talking about 2025 and what we did. You have to be more present and do everything you can to win the title,” he said.“I don’t think we’ve changed anything or we’re thinking differently. We’re the same way. But like I said before, we’re not here to defend something with the mindset of the defending champions. We have an opportunity to win one more title.”“We have to keep the mindset that we’re here to win the title, not defend anything we’ve done in 2025. It’s a new season and a new opportunity to do it again in 2026.”He also pointed to a cultural change in RCB’s setup, which was once heavily dependent on one or two players.“Earlier it was one or two players that the team depended on. But now every player takes responsibility when they go to bat or bowl,” said Patidar.“So I think the word ‘responsibility’ is the main thing that every individual thinks about. The responsibility and the desire to contribute to the team.“And having the same mindset that we’re not just here to play qualifiers. We’re here to play the final and win the final. So I think that mindset has changed.”

Which previous captain do you think Rajat Patidar is most comparable to?