“Rajat Patidar. Whether he ends on either side of the result [of the game], this is one of the best innings,” said Ian Bishop, someone who has seen all in the game, after the RCB number 3 had creamed Ravi Bishnoi through covers for a boundary in what was 27-run over to enter in the nineties.
This “one of the best” innings – of 112 runs in 54 balls – came against a strong Lucknow Super Giants bowling unit in the Eliminator game – a stage where RCB have faltered for the last two seasons. Incidentally, both while batting first.
4s: 1⃣2⃣
6s: 7⃣
S/r: 2⃣0⃣7⃣.4⃣0⃣An innings we’ll never forget.
Take a bow, Rajat!#PlayBold #WeAreChallengers #IPL2022 #Mission2022 #RCB #ನಮ್ಮRCB #LSGvRCB #PlayOffs pic.twitter.com/5QG0ls3tdM
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) May 25, 2022
Today’s score, 207, however, was much more than what they managed – below 140 – in those two losses. Courtesy of Rajat Patidar who had to come in after skipper Faf du Plessis‘ golden duck, and had to bat along with Virat Kohli who had decided to play the anchor role, trickling along at almost run-a-ball.
Two dropped catches notwithstanding, Patidar thumped and muscled and bludgeoned; he also creamed and drove and flicked. Whatever he did, most of his shots were middled.
Patidar brought up his half-century off 28 balls; he reached his maiden IPL hundred – via a stunning, deafening pull six – on his 49th ball. His scintillating knock included 12 fours and 7 sixes, the big ones each sweeter than the previous one.
Rajat Patidar’s brilliant century and DK’s clutch innings at the end, help us put up a massive total.
It’s your time to shine, bowlers!
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) May 25, 2022
To think Patidar had gone unsold in the IPL 2022 mega-auction, with not even RCB – the team he played for last year – bidding for him. They eventually got him as a replacement for the injured Luvnith Sisodia.
Last season, Patidar had scored 71 runs in 4 matches at a strike rate of 114. This season, he has made 275 runs in 6 innings at a strike rate of 156.
This was an elite level hitting from Patidar today – starting from a boundary on his third ball to get off the mark to the last ball; there was intent all over his innings.
Twitter erupted with joy, with praises, with perhaps even surprise for an uncapped batsman, someone who hadn’t really taken the IPL storm so far, has put RCB in a strong position in the Eliminator.
Here are some of the best tweets on Rajat Patidar’s stunning innings:
Can I tweet twice about this Rajat Patidar’s inning ? BRILLAINT!
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) May 25, 2022
Rajat Patidar..
What an innings.. Party Daar #RCBvLSG pic.twitter.com/FjIemT6MG5— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) May 25, 2022
Rajat Patidar played every role in the book today. Came in with the new ball still fresh, batted in the middle overs to overshadow the fancied stars and then finished on a high too. Just one man has made all the difference for #RCB today. #LSGvsRCB
— Rahul Rawat (@rawatrahul9) May 25, 2022
Maiden IPL century by Rajat Patidar. One of the craziest knock in IPL Playoffs. Wasn’t even part of RCB after the auction and in the most important game, he’s playing a match winning knock. pic.twitter.com/gwsG9AeDON
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 25, 2022
Came in as a replacement for Karnataka Batsman Luvnith Sisodia and is today giving RCB more than a chance to win this eliminator with his century. Take a bow Rajat Patidar you made all of us proud today. #RCBvsLSG #IPL2022 pic.twitter.com/W4susn3obJ
— Amit Mishra (@MishiAmit) May 25, 2022
Rajat Patidar becomes the first RCB batsman to score a century in IPL Playoffs.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 25, 2022
Rajat Patidar .. talk about producing when it really counts .. Incredible innings .. #RCB #IPL2022
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) May 25, 2022
Rajat Patidar, unbelievable knock!! You’re a gem.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 25, 2022
Who is Rajat Patidar? To the blind, he is the light. To the hungry, he is bread. To the sick, he is the cure. To the lonely, he is company. To the sad, he is joy. To the prisoner, he is freedom. For the poor, he is treasure. For me, he is everything.
— aay (@kanpur105) May 25, 2022
That’s a 1⃣0⃣0⃣ for Patidar
Special knock on special occasion.
He kept on hitting the ball hard while wickets were constantly falling at the other end.
bow down to RAJAT PATIDAR— Yashvi (@BreatheKohli) May 25, 2022
VVS Laxman is impressed with Rajat Patidar while playing against spin. pic.twitter.com/bBndchh5kh
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) May 25, 2022
Innings of a lifetime. Take a bow #RajatPatidar . Was a replacement player for Bangalore and has played a blinder in the eliminator. #RCBvLSG pic.twitter.com/ubLb3uXNNk
— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) May 25, 2022
“I was not looking for the century, I was looking for the number of runs I can contribute to the Team”
– Rajat Patidar pic.twitter.com/cc7QQtpBKE— Pari (@BluntIndianGal) May 25, 2022
Rajat Patidar
— Surya Kumar Yadav (@surya_14kumar) May 25, 2022
Rajat Patidar
— Veda Krishnamurthy (@vedakmurthy08) May 25, 2022
Timely reminder that Rajat Patidar went unsold at this year’s IPL auctions, and only came in as a mid-season replacement for RCB after Luvnith Sisodia’s injury ruled him out.
— Nikhil Naz (@NikhilNaz) May 25, 2022
Who needs Faf, Virat & Maxwell when you have Rajat Patidar in your side. He is playing out of his skin right now
— Lisa Sthalekar (@sthalekar93) May 25, 2022
Rajat Patidar today became the first ever player to score a century in an Eliminator match in IPL.
Among the 4 previous centuries in IPL playoffs, 2 were scored in Qualifier-2 and the other 2 in Finals.#IPL2022 #LSGvRCB
— Rhitankar Bandyopadhyay (@rhitankar8616) May 25, 2022
