Rajat Patidar, captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), is currently recovering from a finger injury that would have sidelined him for at least two matches if the IPL 2025 hadn't been temporarily suspended due to cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan.
The IPL suspension gives Patidar extra time to recover from a finger injury sustained on May 3. He's wearing a splint and resting for 10 days. RCB is carefully managing his recovery, considering his role in the playoffs and possible India A selection.
Patidar returned to Bengaluru with the RCB squad on Saturday and remains hopeful of playing if the IPL resumes next week. With Patidar sidelined, Jitesh Sharma was set to captain RCB against LSG before the IPL was suspended on May 8.
“I was very grateful for the opportunity given to me,” Jitesh said on RCB Bold Diaries. “They were giving me an opportunity to captain RCB and it’s a very big thing for me and my family. I was thinking of what the right combination would be because both Devdutt [Padikkal] and Rajat were not available, and it was a big responsibility to replace them.
“And as per the position we were on the points table, we would have won this game. All of this was going on in my head and all the meetings with coaches and players in those two-three days, batting order, discussions with bowlers. I had good fun.”
RCB Hit by Multiple Injuries Before IPL Suspension
Rajat Patidar's injury is one of several setbacks RCB faced before the IPL suspension. Opening batter Phil Salt fell ill and was replaced by Jacob Bethell in the XI, while Padikkal was ruled out for the season with a hamstring injury and replaced by Mayank Agarwal. Additionally, Josh Hazlewood sustained a shoulder injury.
As of Sunday, all of RCB's overseas players and coaching staff had left India but were instructed to stay on standby for a potential return if the tournament resumes. At the time of the suspension, RCB were second on the points table with eight wins and three losses from 11 matches.
Their remaining three fixtures include an away game against LSG, and home matches against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), although the venues may change depending on how the IPL reconfigures the schedule for the rest of the season.