Rajat Patidar etched his name into the history books as he became the third captain to defend an IPL title, joining a list featuring the likes of MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma. Patidar has led the Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their second consecutive title with a one-sided victory over the Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday, May 31.ย
At the epicentre of this title win was Patidar, the star who has performed with the bat as well as with the captaincy. He has helped RCB become a beast side that features match winners left, right and centre. While he is not vocal much, he has done great work in silence, an effort to which his team is reaping rewards. Patidar has also become the only captain to win back-to-back IPL titles in his first two seasons as a skipper, a feat which even the likes of Dhoni and Rohit could not have done.
Saba Karim feels Patidar is similar to Dhoni, Rohit
Meanwhile, former India selector Saba Karim feels that Patidar is like Dhoni and Rohit, the two legendary IPL and Indian captains, due to the calmness that he possesses. “One of the biggest reasons behind RCB winning a second consecutive title has been the clarity around individual roles within the team, and Rajat Patidar deserves a lot of credit for that,” Karim said on JioStar.ย
“If you look at his journey, he came in as a replacement player and eventually became the captain. For someone without international experience, earning respect in a dressing room filled with world-class players, including Virat Kohli, is not easy. Rajat earned that respect through consistent performances.ย
“Once he established himself, he became instrumental in shaping this side. He has played a major role in building a strong bowling unit. I also see a lot of clarity in his captaincy. When we talk about captains who have led teams to consecutive titles, names like MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma come up, and I can see similarities in the way Rajat Patidar leads this team.”
‘Never dreamt of winning two for RCB’: Patidar
Patidar was out of words and emotions when he led RCB to their second IPL title with a win over the Titans. He was made the captain in 2025 and carried a whole lot of expectations on his shoulders. The skipper said he never dreamt of winning two for the franchise. “Never dreamt I’d win two (IPLs) for RCB. It’s all written. Last year, there was a lot of pressure. This year, we were confident. All were in a good frame of mind as compared to last year. Pre-tournament prep was very good for me,” he said right after the match.
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