Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain and key batsman Rajat Patidar became part of an unusual situation involving his old phone number, two cricket enthusiasts, and local authorities. What seemed like a simple telecom issue quickly turned into a curious case, leading Patidar to seek assistance from the police.
According to NDTV, Patidar’s previous mobile number had been inactive for 90 days, after which his service provider reassigned it to someone else. A young man named Manish from Gariaband district in Chhattisgarh bought the SIM and activated it with Reliance Jio in late June.
Soon after activation, Manish and his friend Khemraj were surprised to see Patidar’s photo unexpectedly appearing as the WhatsApp profile picture linked to the new number. The number soon began receiving calls from prominent players like Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, who were trying to reach the RCB captain.
Rajat Patidar himself also tried to get in touch with Manish to reclaim his old number, emphasizing its importance since it contained contact details of his coaches and teammates. When Manish was skeptical about the caller’s identity, the RCB batsman reportedly warned him that he would involve the police if the calls continued.
The local police quickly contacted Manish, who cooperated by handing the SIM card back to its original owner.
Rajat Patidar Clinches IPL Trophy In Debut Captaincy Season
From a cricketing perspective, the Indore-born player reached a new peak in the 2025 IPL season after taking over captaincy of the Royal Challengers from Faf du Plessis. Despite it being his debut season as IPL captain, the 32-year-old delivered an impressive performance, leading the team to notable victories against Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians.
He amassed 312 runs in 15 matches, helping RCB secure a six-run win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the final held in Ahmedabad, ultimately ending the team’s long title drought.
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