"Was Angry, Sad": Rajat Patidar Drops RCB Bomb Over 'Broken Promise' In 2022

Rajat Patidar, who is leading Royal Challengers Bengaluru this IPL, revisited the 2022 season when he was left "sad" and "angry" after being ignored by the franchise despite assurances, only to be called up later as an injury replacement. Patidar also admitted that being handed over the captaincy by the inimitable Virat Kohli ahead of IPL 2025 did put him under pressure, but supportive words from the legend calmed him. Patidar has been one of RCB's middle-order mainstays this season, scoring 239 runs in 11 games as the southern franchise aims for a maiden men's IPL title.

"I had got a message (ahead of the mega auction for IPL 2022) that you should be ready... that we will pick you. I had a little hope that I would get another chance (to play for RCB). But I wasn't picked in the mega auction. I was a little sad," said Patidar on an RCB Podcast.

However, the 31-year-old Madhya Pradesh cricketer didn't have to wait long to again wear the RCB colours as one of his state-mates got injured. But Patidar was not really keen on coming back to Bengaluru, knowing that he would hardly get an opportunity to play in a star-studded lineup.

"I (had) started playing in my local matches in Indore (after not getting picked in the auction). Then, I got a call that 'we are picking you as a replacement for Luvnith Sisodia', who was injured. To tell you frankly, I didn't want to come as a replacement because I knew that I wouldn't get a chance to play there, and I always feel that I don't want to sit there (in the dugout).

"I wasn't angry. It was like, if they didn't pick me (during the auction), then I won't get it (get to play). I was angry for a while but then I was normal," said Patidar, who led Madhya Pradesh to the 2024-25 Syed Mushtaq