RCB’s 18-year itch has finally been scratched — and while the world celebrated Virat Kohli’s redemption arc, there was one man quietly scripting his own legend: Rajat Patidar.
With just 4 international matches under his belt, Patidar wasn’t even the loudest name in RCB’s dressing room. But when he was handed the captain’s armband, the franchise made a bet on belief — and boy, did it pay off. In fact, that's the second-fewest international games for any captain in the IPL, behind Nitish Rana's three.
But make no mistake — Rajat didn’t just lift the trophy; he etched his name alongside some serious IPL royalty:
Shane Warne
Flashback to 2008. The Aussie magician was handed a rag-tag bunch of Royals and told to make magic. And magic he did. Despite starting with a loss, Warne's RR side went on an 11-out-of-12 match-winning spree and stunned everyone by winning the inaugural IPL. No one saw it coming — just like a Warne flipper. What set him apart from the rest was his unique style of leadership. With a vastly inexperienced squad, Warne backed youngsters to deliver in the shortest format, and that proved to be the key.
Rohit Sharma
2013. Ricky Ponting stepped down, and in walked a calm-faced Mumbaikar. Rohit Sharma took over mid-season and flipped MI’s fortunes like a pro. MI won 8 of their next 10 games to make it to the knockouts. Despite losing Qualifier 1, MI went on to win the Eliminator and then beat CSK in the final to win their maiden IPL trophy under the first-time captain, Rohit Sharma. It truly marked the birth of a new captaincy dynasty.
Hardik Pandya
The year was 2022, and a new chapter in the IPL was about to begin. Two new teams, the Gujarat Titans and the Lucknow Super Giants, made their debuts, and one of them was about to make history. Hardik Pandya led GT with swagger, steel, and a smile. Not only did they top the league, but they also crushed the finals to become champions in their debut season. That win triggered a leadership arc that saw him lead Team India's T20 side and then the Mumbai Indians in 2024 and 2025.
And now, we have another youngster make it to that list - Rajat Patidar. No fuss, no chest-thumping, no dramatic quotes. Just results. While the headlines might scream "Kohli finally wins it!" — somewhere in the footnotes of this fairy tale, Rajat’s name will whisper through the ages.
