Under the able leadership of Rajat Patidar, Royal Challengers Bengaluru won the IPL in 2025 and have once again qualified for the summit clash in the 2026 season. Despite so, Patidarโs name is not among the reckoning for Indiaโs T20I side. He has led the team by example, but for the number four role, Suryakumar Yadav and Shreyas Iyer are ahead in the pecking order.
Does it disappoint Patidar? Ahead of the final against Gujarat Titans, the RCB skipper clarified that the questions regarding India selection donโt bother him and neither does he view himself as Indiaโs next T20I skipper, with Suryakumar reported to be losing his job,ย
โI’m not looking forward to any selection regarding India. I don’t visualise to be the T20 captain of India,โ Patidar said in the pre-match press conference.ย
Patidar isnโt bothered about legacy as well
If RCB win the trophy on the night of May 31 in Ahmedabad, he will become only the third captain after MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma to retain the cup. Under the leadership of Dhoni, Chennai Super Kings lifted the title in 2010 and 2011, while Rohit led the Mumbai Indians to the title in the 2019 and 2020 seasons.ย
Patidar, in the press conference, clarified that he isnโt chasing the legacy and is only focused on the job at hand. He added that every individual has their own journey and he is only concerned about his own.
Every captain wants to win trophies. But I never change myself because it’s important to be yourself. That’s what I’ve focused on. Even if I’m a captain, it doesn’t mean I have to do anything different. So, I’ve never thought about what a captain has done before and whether I want to compete with someone or not. As an individual, my journey has been a rollercoaster ride. Wherever I live, I focus on what I can do best,โ Patidar said.ย
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