RCB batsman Rajat Patidar expressed his admiration for teammate Virat Kohli, mentioning that he observes all of the champion cricketer’s net sessions to learn valuable insights and incorporate them into his own game.
Patidar faced a sluggish beginning to IPL 2024 but has regained formidable form in the latter part of RCB’s campaign. The 30-year-old has notched up half-centuries in five of his last seven innings, contributing significantly to the franchise’s transformation from bottom dwellers to playoff contenders.
Meanwhile, Kohli has had another remarkable season, amassing 661 runs at an average of 66.10 and a strike rate of 155.16 in 13 matches. The seasoned batsman currently tops the run-scoring charts in IPL 2024.
In a conversation with Hindustan Times, Rajat Patidar praised Kohli for consistently mentoring him.
“Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have always been my two biggest batting idols. I make it a point to watch every net session of Virat bhaiya and notice his foot work and stuff.”
”I don’t go about making too many changes to my own game, but I try and see if I can add little things that I learn from him,” said Patidar.
He added:
“You’re filled with confidence when you’re batting with him in matches, you know the world’s best batter is at the other end.”
”He guides me in terms of where the bowlers could bowl, and which areas we could target. There’s so much to learn from how he goes about his innings, how he thinks about his batting.”
In total, Rajat Patidar has accumulated 320 runs in 13 matches, maintaining an average of 29.09 and a strike rate of nearly 180. His aggressive approach against spinners during the middle overs has been crucial to RCB’s current five-game winning streak.
“We maintained our belief throughout”- Rajat Patidar
Rajat Patidar emphasized that both the RCB players and management maintained their belief, even during the challenging period in the first half of IPL 2024.
During the initial stages of the season, RCB lingered at the bottom of the points table, securing just one victory in their first seven matches. However, their remarkable resurgence has propelled them to sixth place, with a genuine opportunity to qualify for the playoffs.
“Of course, it hurts when things don’t go your way. But to build some momentum, we spoke about wanting to play for pride. Everyone was always working hard, we never stopped believing.”
“The atmosphere within the team was nice even when we weren’t winning, each player got support from the franchise as well. That was very important to be able to mount a comeback,” said Patidar.
RCB will face off against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their last league-stage match in Bengaluru on Saturday, May 18.
A substantial victory would enable Bengaluru to surpass CSK on the points table and secure their spot in the playoffs. Alternatively, even a narrow win could be enough for RCB to qualify if SRH loses their remaining two league-stage matches.
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