Rajat Patidar has scored 320 runs in 11 innings at a stunning strike rate of 179.77, including five half-centuries.
Rajat Patidar picked up the form at the right time and has been playing a crucial role for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their incredible turnaround in the second half of the season. RCB started the season on a dull note and had just one win in their first eight matches, but they have bounced back on an emphatic note with five wins on a trot to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar have been putting up consistent shows with the bat.(RCB-X)
Patidar also had a tough start to the season, but RCB backed him, and it paid off well. The flamboyant batter got his mojo back in the second half and has already slammed five half-centuries this season. He has scored 320 runs in 11 innings at a stunning strike rate of 179.77.
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The Madhya Pradesh batter also scored 52 runs off 32 balls against Delhi Capitals as RCB won the do-or-die clash by 47 runs to keep their hopes alive. RCB found Patidar in full flow on Sunday. His first scoring shot was a magnificent cover driven four off Mukesh and he never let that early momentum fade. The elegance soon gave way for brute force as Patidar brought forth his six-hitting abilities, smashing Axar for two sixes and sending Kuldeep Yadav over long-on for a maximum.
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Legendary Australia pacer Brett Lee reserved big praise for Patidar and compared his batting style with maestro Virat Kohli.
“Well, the other thing, too, is that if you’re just flicked on your device, you’d think that’s Kohli right away,” Lee said on Jio Cinema.
Kohli and Patidar have been putting up consistent shows with the bat and keeping up the strike rate in the middle overs with a counter-attacking approach against the spinners.
The former Aussie paceman suggested that Patidar plays the cover drive as good as anyone in the business.
“It’s his 5th 50 this season, you know, we know he’s played test cricket, but it took him a while to get going. But the great thing is that that cover drive he played that when we were on air commentating about I mean, that is as good as it gets. So good to see that he’s found some form. Hopefully it can continue,” said Lee.
RCB now have 12 points from 13 matches – same as the Capitals – and need a win against Chennai Super Kings in the last league match here on May 18 to push their case for a playoff berth.
