Rajat Patidar is one of Indian cricket’s most compelling modern stories a technically gifted right-handed batsman from Indore who went unsold in the 2022 IPL mega auction, only to return as a replacement player and score the fastest century in IPL playoff history.
Appointed captain of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru for IPL 2025, he led the franchise to their first-ever IPL title, finally ending what had been the longest wait for a trophy in the tournament’s history.
From a family that initially wanted him to join the business world, Patidar convinced his loved ones to back his cricket dreams and then proceeded to justify every ounce of that faith on the grandest stage.
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Rajat Manohar Patidar: History · Bio · Photo
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| Wiki Facts & About Data | |
| Full Name: | Rajat Manohar Patidar |
| Born: | June 1, 1993 |
| Age: | 33 years old |
| Birthplace: | Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India |
| Nationality: | Indian |
| Occupation: | Professional Cricketer |
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (190.5 cm) |
| Religion: | Hindu |
| Parents: | Manohar Patidar (father, businessman); Rekha Patidar (mother, homemaker) |
| Siblings: | Sister Aarti; one younger brother |
| Spouse: | Gunjan Patidar (married July 7, 2022) |
| Relationship: | Married |
| Net Worth: | ₹25–35 crore (approx. $3–4 million USD) |
Early Life
Rajat Manohar Patidar was born on June 1, 1993, in Indore, Madhya Pradesh a city with a deeply embedded cricket culture that has produced multiple Indian international cricketers. He comes from a close-knit Gujarati business family that had been settled in Indore for generations. His father, Manohar Patidar, runs an agricultural-pumps business, and his mother, Rekha Patidar, is a homemaker.
He has an elder sister, Aarti, and a younger brother. Initially, his family was hesitant about his cricket ambitions and urged him to pursue higher education and join the family business.
However, Rajat persistently convinced his family to support his cricketing aspirations, and they eventually backed him completely.
His connection to cricket began at the age of eight, when his grandfather enrolled him in a local cricket academy. He started out as a bowler but shifted his focus entirely to batting by the time he was in the under-15 bracket a decision that would prove transformative.
Inspired by Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, he honed his game on the local nets of Indore, eventually breaking into the Madhya Pradesh age-group structure.
Education
Rajat Patidar completed his schooling at New Digambar Public School in Indore.
He subsequently enrolled at Guru Vashishtha College, Indore, where he pursued and completed a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree a qualification he balanced alongside his growing cricketing commitments.
Career
Domestic Cricket (2015–2020)
Patidar represented Madhya Pradesh at the under-19 and under-22 levels before breaking into the senior setup. He made his first-class debut on October 30, 2015, in the 2015–16 Ranji Trophy, making an immediate impression by scoring a half-century and a century across his first two innings.
His List-A debut followed on December 11, 2015, against Saurashtra in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and his T20 debut came in the 2017–18 Zonal T20 League on January 8, 2018.
In August 2019, his consistent domestic performances earned him a call-up to the India Blue squad for the 2019–20 Duleep Trophy. He was a key player in Madhya Pradesh’s first Ranji Trophy final in 13 years in the 2021–22 season, contributing vital runs en route to a historic campaign.
IPL Career and Viral Breakthrough (2021–2022)
Patidar was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for his base price of ₹20 lakh at the IPL 2021 auction held in Chennai. He made his IPL debut on April 9, 2021, against Mumbai Indians but received limited opportunities that season.
In a cruel twist, he was not retained by RCB ahead of the 2022 mega auction. Rather than dwell on the rejection, Patidar channelled his frustration into intense net sessions and returned to domestic cricket with renewed vigour.
He was then brought back by RCB mid-tournament in 2022 as a replacement player for the injured Luvnith Sisodia, for the same ₹20 lakh base price. What followed was one of the most celebrated IPL innings in the tournament’s history.
On May 25, 2022, in the Eliminator against Lucknow Super Giants, Patidar smashed an unbeaten 112 off just 54 balls becoming the first RCB batter to score a century in IPL playoffs, the first uncapped player to score a playoff century, and the scorer of the fastest century in IPL playoff history (49 balls, equalled subsequently by Shubman Gill). He was retained by RCB ahead of IPL 2023 but was unfortunately ruled out of the entire season with a heel injury.
International Cricket and Captaincy (2023–present)
Patidar received his first call-up to the Indian ODI squad for the series against South Africa in October 2022, though he did not play.
In February 2024, he made his Test debut against England in Vizag picked ahead of Sarfaraz Khan and was also named in the ODI squad as a replacement for Shreyas Iyer.
In January 2025, RCB named Rajat Patidar as their captain for IPL 2025. He justified the appointment emphatically, leading RCB to their first-ever IPL title in 2025 one of the most celebrated moments in Indian cricket franchise history. He was retained by RCB for IPL 2026 at ₹11 crore and continued as the team’s captain and top-order anchor.
In the 2026 IPL season, he played his most recent confirmed match against GT at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. His career IPL record stands at 57 matches, 1,612 runs, an average of 33.58, one century, and 14 half-centuries.
Awards and Nominations
- 2022 IPL Playoff Fastest Century Record 49 balls (shared with Shubman Gill)
- 2025 IPL Champion Captain Royal Challengers Bengaluru (first title in franchise history)
Social Media
- Instagram: @rajatpatidar
Personal Life
Rajat Patidar married Gunjan Patidar on July 7, 2022, at the Enrise by Sayaji Rau hotel in Indore.
The wedding had originally been planned for May 2022 but was postponed due to Patidar’s IPL commitments a decision that serendipitously led to him being available as the replacement player who then played the defining innings of his career. Gunjan maintains a very private life and does not have public social media accounts. The couple has kept their personal life largely away from the public eye.
Net Worth
Rajat Patidar’s estimated net worth as of 2026 is approximately ₹25–35 crore (around $3–4 million USD).
His primary income streams include his IPL retainer fee of ₹11 crore with RCB, BCCI match fees for domestic and international cricket, and brand endorsements with sports and lifestyle brands.
Cricket Career Highlights
- First-class debut: October 30, 2015 (Madhya Pradesh, Ranji Trophy)
- IPL debut: April 9, 2021 (RCB vs Mumbai Indians)
- IPL 2022 Eliminator: 112* off 54 balls vs LSG — fastest playoff century (49 balls)
- Test debut: February 2024 vs England, Vizag
- IPL 2025: Led RCB to inaugural IPL title as captain
- IPL career: 57 matches, 1,612 runs, avg 33.58, SR 142.75
Conclusion
Rajat Patidar’s journey from a cricketing outsider who went unsold at auction to the captain who handed RCB their first-ever IPL title is one of the defining stories of modern Indian franchise cricket.
His technical elegance, his calm temperament in high-pressure moments, and his ability to seize singular opportunities epitomised by that Eliminator century in 2022 mark him as a cricketer whose career arc has consistently defied expectation.
With Test cricket now also in his portfolio, the full scope of Patidar’s ambitions remains very much in play.
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