Former Chennai Super Kings batter Ambati Rayudu has praised Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Rajat Patidar for an attack-minded brand of batting and for setting the tone with his intent from the outset of the innings. Rayudu believes Patidar’s fearless approach is not only energising the skipper’s own batting but also influencing the mindset of the entire RCB batting group as the tournament progresses.
Key takeaways
- Ambati Rayudu singled out Rajat Patidar for leading from the front with aggressive, fearless batting.
- Patidar has scored 222 runs in five matches at a strike rate of 213.46.
- RCB are off to a strong start, winning four of their five matches and performing particularly well at home.
- Rayudu credited the captain’s mindset for shaping how the rest of the batting unit plays.
- In RCB’s win over Lucknow Super Giants, LSG were bowled out for 146 and RCB chased it down in 15.1 overs.
Patidar’s fearless intent draws praise
Rayudu said Patidar looks determined to take control early, arriving at the crease without hesitation and accelerating immediately—whether the opposition brings pace or spin. He described the skipper’s approach as a clear “go after every ball” mindset, adding that the rest of the side appears to follow that tempo once Patidar gets going.
He also pointed to the impact Patidar has had in the middle overs, an area where teams often become more cautious. Rayudu highlighted the sheer momentum Patidar has created, noting that the current form has given RCB a major boost when matches typically start to change pace.
Rayudu further underlined that RCB’s current campaign has begun with confidence, with the defending champions collecting four victories from their first five games. He linked their improved home performances to the sharper aggression they’ve shown this season, especially compared to how they had previously struggled in similar conditions.
RCB’s win over LSG and how the chase was built
Rayudu’s compliments extended beyond Patidar to the way RCB batters approached their chase against Lucknow Super Giants on Wednesday night. He felt RCB assessed the conditions better than LSG and executed their game plan across disciplines, with the bowling first restricting the opposition and then the chase being completed efficiently.
He noted that RCB dismissed LSG for 146, and then reached the target in just 15.1 overs, describing the overall performance as clinical. On a slower surface, Rayudu said RCB’s batters adapted more effectively than their counterparts from Lucknow.
Rayudu praised the quality of shot selection during the chase, saying RCB managed to hit sixes off deliveries that were actually well set up, rather than relying only on mistakes. He contrasted that with what is often seen on slow wickets—where big hits typically come more frequently against loose balls—and called it a positive sign for RCB’s batting depth and execution.
“They are going after every ball. The captain is doing that so the team is following that tempo and that template. Whenever you see Patidar walk in, he comes with a lot of intent. It is rubbing off on his non-striker as well as the batters who are following. It is refreshing to see RCB play that way,” Rayudu said.
He added, “Playing on a slow wicket, they adapted way better than the way Lucknow’s batters did. It was a slow wicket, they had to adjust their shots and their bat swing but they played some fantastic shots. Generally, we have seen a lot of sixes against loose balls, but this batting line-up has been hitting sixes against really good deliveries. That’s a great sign.”
