The Chepauk crowd roared as Rajat Patidar walked off, bat raised, after smashing 51 off just 32 balls. Not just any fifty—this one etched his name in RCB history. He’s now only the second captain ever to hit a half-century for Bangalore at this iconic Chennai ground. The last guy to do it? Some bloke named Virat Kohli. Back in 2013.
A Captain’s Knock When It Mattered
RCB’s top order had flickered but failed to ignite. Phil Salt (32) fell to Dhoni’s razor-sharp stumping. Kohli (31) and Devdutt Padikkal (27) chipped in, but the middle order wobbled. Then Patidar stepped up. Three sixes. Four fours. No fuss. Just clean hitting under pressure, dragging RCB out of trouble.
Breaking a 12-Year Streak
Before Patidar, Kohli was the only RCB skipper to post a fifty at Chepauk—way back in 2013. Funny enough, Kohli had scored one there in 2012 too, but Daniel Vettori was captain that season. Stats don’t lie: leading RCB here is tough. Patidar just made it look easy.
Leading from the front! 🤩👏🏻
MAIDEN FIFTY for Rajat as our captain, and what a knock!#PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #IPL2025 #CSKvRCB pic.twitter.com/fj2AWrJrhM
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) March 28, 2025
RCB’s Captaincy Carousel
Patidar’s the seventh man to lead RCB in the IPL. The list reads like a who’s who:
- Rahul Dravid (2008)
- Kevin Pietersen
- Anil Kumble
- Daniel Vettori
- Virat Kohli
- Faf du Plessis
Now, add Patidar. If this innings is a sign, he might stick around longer than most.