Rajat Patidar, born on 1 June 1993, is an Indian cricketer who represents Madhya Pradesh in domestic cricket and the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League. Patidar is known for his role as a right-handed top-order batsman and off-spinner at the international level.
Virat Kohli has taken a leave from the India Cricket Team to attend to personal matters and KL Rahul has been sidelined due to injuries. This has opened the doors of Test Cricket for Rajat Patidar. He could make his debut in the second Test against England at the Vizag Stadium from 2 February 2024.
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Rajat Patidar Career
Rajat Patidar stepped into the first-class arena on 30 October 2015 during the 2015–16 Ranji Trophy season. His Twenty20 debut for Madhya Pradesh came on 8 January 2018, in the 2017–18 Zonal T20 League.
His prowess with the bat was evident as he emerged as the top run-scorer for Madhya Pradesh in the 2018–19 Ranji Trophy, amassing 713 runs across eight matches. Recognizing his talent, he was included in the India Blue squad for the 2019–20 Duleep Trophy.
In February 2021, the Royal Challengers Bangalore secured his services in the IPL auction for the 2021 season. Although he had a modest stint, scoring 71 runs in four matches, he was released ahead of the 2022 season.
Despite going unsold in the 2022 IPL Player Auction, Patidar’s fortunes turned when he was signed by Royal Challengers Bangalore midway through the season as a replacement player. His standout moment came on 25 May 2022, during the Eliminator match of the 2022 Indian Premier League, where he played a memorable innings, scoring an unbeaten 112 off just 54 balls against Lucknow Super Giants. This innings marked a historic milestone as he became the first uncapped player to score a century in the IPL playoffs. Additionally, his century equaled the record for the joint-fastest century in the playoffs, achieved in 49 balls. Patidar concluded the 2022 season with an impressive tally of 333 runs in eight matches, including a century and two half-centuries.
His exceptional performances earned him a spot in the One-Day International (ODI) squad for the series against South Africa in October, following which he was named in the ODI squad against New Zealand in February 2023 as an injury replacement for Shreyas Iyer. However, he did not make it to the playing eleven on both occasions.
Patidar eventually made his ODI debut on 21 December 2023 against South Africa, scoring 22 runs off 16 balls.
Rajat Patidar First Class Test Records & Stats
In first-class cricket, Rajat Patidar has played 52 matches, accumulating a total of 3795 runs. His batting average stands at an impressive 45.72, indicating consistent performances with the bat. He has recorded 11 centuries and 22 half-centuries, showcasing his ability to convert starts into substantial scores. Patidar’s highest score in first-class cricket is 196 runs. In the field, he has taken 74 catches but has not executed any stumpings.
| Competition | FC Test |
|---|---|
| Matches | 52 |
| Runs scored | 3795 |
| Batting average | 45.72 |
| 100s/50s | 11/22 |
| Top score | 196 |
| Catches/stumpings | 74/0 |