Rajat Patidar was patiently listening to a fan with a big smile. The fan wearing an RCB jersey was frantically explaining something with all awe on his face.
Rajat was in his tank top and his shorts, waiting near the elevator. The elevator clanged open. Rajat still waited. He waited till the man ended. Rajat extended his hand, and the man pulled him for a hug.
Rajat Patidar, the captain of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, has earned enough love from the fans. The man, yet to step in the Indian international circuit, is still the biggest name in IPL, winning the first trophy for a star-studded franchise like RCB. He not only led but also stepped up almost every time when his team needed him to score runs. The qualifier 1 in Dharamsala was an example of the leadership he gave—93 runs not out, while GT was defeated by 92 runs!
Rajat too has hit the stardom. But stardom is pretty when it is humanized. And that, he was caught in the most humbled moment with the fan; it gave the love a leader would want from his fanbase.
Watch the video here:
The leader Rajat Patidar RCB counts on
Rajat Patidar is no longer merely leading Royal Challengers Bengaluru; he is shaping an era. After ending an 18-year wait for glory in 2025, the RCB captain carried the same fire into IPL 2026 and marched the defending champions straight into another final.
Patidar's bat spoke louder than any celebration. In 14 league matches, he piled up 486 runs at an average of 44.18 and a stunning strike rate of 196.76. The man who once built innings with patience now tears attacks apart with authority, smashing 29 fours and a jaw-dropping 41 sixes.
But greatness often arrives on the biggest stage. In Qualifier 1 against Gujarat Titans, Patidar delivered a captain's masterpiece—93* off just 33 balls, striking at 281.81 with nine sixes and only one dot ball, the highest playoff score by an IPL captain.
Under his leadership and Andy Flower's guidance, RCB finished atop the table and kept dreaming bigger.