Rajat Patidar should step out of ‘Virat’ shadow not like Ruturaj Gaikwad’s MS Dhoni fanboyism

In IPL 2024, when Ruturaj Gaikwad succeeded MS Dhoni as CSK skipper, it was expected that the latter would still remain the guiding light of the team, and the overall transition would be tough for the Maharashtra youngster. And that is exactly what happened; starting the season in the CSK vs RCB match, MSD had to signal to Ruturaj to take the DRS on one occasion.

Ruturaj Gaikwad under MS Dhoni?

Then, of course, there were a few instances where MS Dhoni was seen making changes in the field and even getting angry with a few fielders while not understanding the instructions properly. While there is nothing particularly wrong with that, it only gave an impression to an average fan, that Thala was still leading the side. That, perhaps, could be totally wrong, but that was the general perception.

Now, cut to IPL 2025, and RCB have named Rajat Patidar as the new skipper. And It is up to veteran Virat Kohli and the latter to just not repeat what had happened with CSK the previous year. An experienced captain in his own right, Patidar has led Madhya Pradesh to the final in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and was the leader in the Vijay Hazare Trophy too.

Rajat Patidar Needs to Get Out of Virat Kohli’s Shadow

It would not be easy for Rajat and Virat, both, to be out of their usual roles in the team, but for the betterment of the RCB, the MP player would have to take full charge of the team. Yes, Faf du Plessis led them to another playoff berth last year, but then there wasn’t enough spark in the leadership overall.

While it is certain that most of the focus will be centred on Virat Kohli only, he would have to make sure that it is Rajat’s decisions that are being implemented on the field, and the 36-year-old is in the advisory role. Tough ask, but then not impossible to achieve for a player who has experience of 75 T20s to his name.

Use Rohit Sharma & Nitish Rana as Examples

Look, all said and done, it won’t be easy to get that confidence of the players from the get go, and Virat will have to work closely with other senior members, but there have been a few instances where the so-called ‘non-star’ player led the teams well, that too in the presence of stars. Who can forget how Rohit Sharma led MI to their first title in 2013, when Ricky Ponting stepped down in the middle of the season?

That team had senior pros like Sachin Tendulkar, Glenn Maxwell, Kieron Pollard, Harbhajan Singh, Mitchell Johnson, and Lasith Malinga, but wasn’t overshadowed. Then more recently, there is an example of Nitish Rana, who led the KKR, and the team won 6 matches there. That team had Umesh Yadav, Andre Russell, Shakib al-Hasan, and Sunil Narine, but still did well.

So, in a nutshell, Rajat Patidar will have to carve out his own identity—somewhat like Sanju Samson as well—so that he isn’t looked as a shadow captain. Rest, his own batting and RCBs results will also decide how his tenure is looked as.