Rajat Patidar, IPL 2025: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) kicked off their IPL 2025 season with a bang, taking down Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by seven wickets. In the opening match of the 18th season on Saturday, RCB, led by their new captain Rajat Patidar, triumphed over the defending champions right on their home turf.
A joyous Rajat Patidar at the Eden Gardens
Patidar expressed his joy after the win, giving a nod to star player Virat Kohli for his support. He mentioned, “I felt the pressure, but it turned out to be a great day for me. I hope there are many more like this ahead. Playing under Virat Kohli is amazing; he offers so much support, and it’s a fantastic chance to learn from one of the best.”
Match summary
After losing the toss and being put to bat first, KKR managed to score 174 runs, losing eight wickets in their 20 overs, thanks to a solid century partnership between Ajinkya Rahane and Sunil Narine. In response, RCB chased down the target, scoring 177 runs for the loss of three wickets in just 16.2 overs, sealing the victory with 22 balls to spare. Rajat Patidar’s captaincy debut was impressive, and he praised spinner Krunal Pandya post-match, along with leg-spinner Suyash Sharma.
Patidar noted, “We were keen on getting (Andre) Russell out, so giving runs to Suyash didn’t matter. He’s one of our key bowlers, and we backed him. The credit goes to Krunal and Suyash, especially since their team was at 130 runs in the 13th over. After that, our bowlers showed great grit and determination.”
Following the loss, KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane acknowledged that his team needs to come together and improve quickly.