Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) skipper Rajat Patidar has been dealt a major setback after sustaining an injury during the opening four-day match between India A and South Africa A.
The in-form batter, who was expected to play a key role in the ongoing series, has been ruled out of action for nearly four months, according to Dainik Jagran.
Patidar, who rose to prominence after leading RCB to their first-ever IPL title last season, was among the three players the franchise retained ahead of the 2025 campaign. The injury comes as a major blow not only for the India A setup but also for Madhya Pradesh, who are set to begin their Ranji Trophy campaign shortly.
The 31-year-old has been in sublime form over the past year. After the conclusion of IPL
2025, where he guided Bengaluru to glory, Patidar continued to dominate the domestic circuit. Captaining Central Zone in the Duleep Trophy, he emerged as the tournament's top scorer with 382 runs at an average of 76.50, including two centuries and two fifties. His consistency continued in the Irani Cup, where he hit 66 in one innings before registering his maiden First-Class double hundred at the start of the Ranji season.
Unfortunately, his fine run was interrupted during the India A series. Playing at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, Patidar managed scores of 19 and 28 in his two innings before being sidelined with a serious injury. The setback is expected to keep him away from competitive cricket until early 2026, leaving a question mark over his availability for the IPL 2026 season.
RCB, however, will be hoping for their captain's timely recovery. Should Patidar fail to regain fitness in time, Jitesh Sharma could be in line to take over the captaincy - much like he did temporarily during the previous season.
Despite a modest outing in IPL 2025, where Patidar scored 312 runs at an average of 24 with two fifties, his leadership was instrumental in transforming RCB's fortunes. The franchise will now await further updates on his recovery before making a final decision regarding the captaincy.
