Former India spinner turned commentator Harbhajan Singh warned the newly appointed RCB captain Rajat Patidar about the potential
challenges of leading the team in the upcoming IPL 2025 season. However, Patidar was appointed the captain in February after being one of the retentions ahead of the 2025 IPL auction as well. He has been with RCB since the 2021 season and enjoyed a good 2024 campaign. Patidar finished with 395 runs at a strike rate of 177.13 in 15 outings last year as well.
Talking about Patidar, Harbhajan told ESPN Cricinfo (via Hindustan Times): “Patidar has the pressure of expectations because they haven’t won a single season. You have to live up to it, and play your own game, too. Everything revolves around Virat Kohli there. He also has to ensure that he has a good season. RCB have appointed Patidar for five seasons, but if this one doesn’t go well, we will see where he will stand.”
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“For someone like Patidar, it will be a huge challenge. To captain a big team like that, it’s not going to be easy to take decisions. Who will play, who will bowl at what point… he hasn’t led a side before. People think leading India is the most difficult thing, but I think it’s even tougher leading a franchise, because I have done it,” said Harbhajan.
Harbhajan Singh also opined on the stark contrast among the key members of the KKR coaching staff. They had to make significant changes to their support staff following Gautam Gambhir, Abhishek Nayar, and Ryan ten Doeschate’s departure after the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season as well.
“They are two completely different personalities – one who wakes up at 5 AM, the other who goes to sleep at 6 AM. So, we’ll have to see how they combine and work together as well,” Harbhajan Singh said on ESPN Cricinfo. “Rahane is going to have to wrestle with what his role and position is in this batting line up. KKR have a lot of power hitters down the order – Venky Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell – so he cannot bat there. Rahane’s best chance is at No.3, because the openers are fixed. If KKR have picked Rahane only for captaincy, then I feel that job could have been done by someone else, like Narine, Russell, or Venky. If KKR lose an early wicket, then I can see a role for Rahane. But, if he has to bat after 12-13 overs, that is not his strength.”
