Rajat Patidar’s biggest challenge is to secure RCB’s 1st win at home: Jitesh Sharma

Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Rajat Patidar’s biggest challenge is to secure the team’s first win at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, said wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma ahead of their match against Rajasthan Royals. RCB have played three matches at their home this season, losing all of them so far.

Speaking to JioStar, Jitesh called Patidar a receptive captain and said that his secret to success was the simplicity that he had led with in this season of the IPL. Jitesh, however, stated that Patidar’s main challenge this season was to secure the team’s first win at home.

“There’s still one big challenge in front of him—securing our first win at Chinnaswamy this season. But the belief in the camp is strong,” Jitesh Sharma said on JioStar ahead of the RCB vs RR clash on Thursday, April 24.

Jitesh spoke in detail about Patidar’s captaincy and said that the new RCB skipper was open to advice from others in the field.

“Rajat is a very simple person. He’s easy to talk to—you wouldn’t even notice him in the dressing room. It’s only when we step on the field that you realise he’s the captain. That’s just his personality—calm and composed under pressure. He can assess situations from multiple angles. As a wicketkeeper, whenever I go up to him with suggestions, he engages right away, asking questions like, ‘What can we do if this happens?’ It shows how calm and in control he is. That’s one big reason behind his current success,” Jitesh explained.

Jitesh has scored 101 runs from 8 matches so far in the IPL at a strike rate of 140.28. The keeper-batter has been able to revive his form after a poor season at Punjab Kings last season, after which he was let go from the franchise.

The batter spoke about adapting to the new team and fully credited Dinesh Karthik for feeling at home at the new franchise. Jitesh said that Karthik has been able to rapidly develop his game in the very short time that he has worked with him.

“I think I’ve finally found someone I can truly work with—someone I can learn from, someone who matches my wavelength, and I match his. Someone who is just like me. And that someone is DK Anna (Dinesh Karthik). He is one of the biggest reasons I feel settled. He has played the same role for the Indian team and in the IPL too. I’m very comfortable talking to him. He understands my feelings and my game, and I understand what he’s trying to convey. He has performed under pressure and knows what kind of risks are involved in key moments. Earlier, I never had this kind of conversation with anyone because not many have succeeded while batting at number 6. And those who have, they usually play for teams like the Chennai Super Kings or other big franchises,” Jitesh said about Karthik’s inputs to him.

“But now, I get to interact with DK daily. Being a wicketkeeper-batter himself, he understands me, and I understand what he expects. I’ve got more freedom here. I had it in my previous team too, but now I’m also learning new things and gaining insights I hadn’t before,” he concluded.

The batter will have a key role to play in RCB’s next home game against RR. RCB would be itching to win their first game at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium this season.

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