As IPL 2025 is scheduled to start on March 22, the focus will be on Rajat Patidar’s newly appointed captain Bengaluru (RCB), who took over FAF Duplesis after the franchise parted ways with the former South African skipper last year.
Rajat Patidar has been delivering impressive mid-term performances over the years, but he leads franchises with a legacy of big names like Virat Kohli. Ahead of the season’s opening game, Aakash Chopra said this is a great opportunity for Patidar to establish himself as a long-term leader for royal challenger Bengaluru.
Aakash Chopra raises questions about the biggest opportunity for Rajat Patidar at RCB!!
The former Indian batter pointed out that the star batter has already shown his leadership skills at the domestic level and is leading Madhya Pradesh to the final of the Saeed Mushtak Ali Trophy, but the IPL captain is a completely different challenge. He questioned whether the RCB is truly investing in Patiders in the long term, and whether this is a short-term move.
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Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel: “The biggest opportunity is Rajat Patidar. What do you expect from him? He worked well in MP and took his team to the SMAT final (Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy), and the team looked at you and said they were planning over the next four years.
Notably, Royal Challenger Bengaluru has reached three finals in the IPL, but they have not yet lifted the trophy. Last season they made a spectacular comeback, winning seven of their final eight matches, but were short on the Eliminator against the Royals in Rajasthan.
“RCB has a good captain legacy” – AakashChopra
Additionally, commentators highlighted the pressures Patiders face. Aakash Chopra explained that having an iconic cricketer of Kohli’s height in the team would be beneficial, but Patidar is more important to lead with his own approach than always wondering what the former Indian and RCB skipper did in certain situations.
He said, “They have a legacy of a good captain. Don’t think about what Virat Kohli did. When such a huge stature player is part of the team, you turn to him. He captained this team in 8 overs.
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Make your own way, don’t follow Virat Kohli: Aakash Chopra’s suggestion to Rajat Patidar
Chopra believes that upcoming IPL 2025 will be a critical moment for Patiders. If he can lead the RCB to the first-ever IPL title, it would be a historic achievement and solidify his position as a prominent leader in Indian cricket.
He said, “You never diagram your own course, so there will be a lot of pressure on you when you go to that idea. It’s important to make your own path. ViratKohli is part of that team. You don’t need to be captain like Virat Kohli.