Rajat Patidar's golden streak as captain comes to end
What's the story
Vidarbha, the reigning Ranji Trophy champions, have clinched the 2025 Irani Cup title. The victory came at the expense of Rajat Patidar-led Rest of India (ROI) in Nagpur. Harsh Dubey's wicket of Gurnoor Brar sealed the deal for Vidarbha in a thrilling final session. Atharva Taide was named 'Player of the Match' for his stellar first-innings knock that gave Vidarbha a significant lead over ROI.
Captaincy journey
Patidar's captaincy journey
Patidar, who had a stellar run as the captain of Madhya Pradesh and RCB, was appointed the captain of ROI for the 2025 Irani Cup. However, his batting performance against Vidarbha wasn't enough to secure victory. He scored 66 and 10 runs in the match. Despite this setback, Patidar's leadership journey over the past year has been nothing short of remarkable.
Streak
Patidar falls short of the title
Patidar has had a wonderful run as captain this year. After leading Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their maiden IPL title, Patidar lifted the Duleep Trophy for the Central Zone after his side defeated the South Zone. He played a vital role with the bat in both these tournaments. Though he made a fifty against Vidarbha as well, ROI fell short of the crown.
Stats
Here are his FC stats
Having scored 66 and 10 in the Irani Cup, Patidar has raced to 5,196 from 72 First-Class matches at an average of over 44. The tally now includes 15 centuries and 27 half-centuries, as per ESPNcricinfo. Earlier this month, Patidar led Central Zone to the Duleep Trophy title. With 382 runs across five innings at 76.40, he finished the competition as the highest run-getter. He was also the only batter with multiple tons (2) in the event.
Ranji success
Patidar's exceptional form in the domestic season
In the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy, Patidar scored an impressive 529 runs from seven matches at an average and strike rate of 48.09 and 77, respectively. He had three scores of over 50, including a century. Notably, the game against Haryana saw him score the fifth-fastest century in Ranji Trophy history, off just 68 balls. Meanwhile, Patidar has also played three Tests for India, managing just 63 runs at 10.50.