'He has practiced...': RCB team director provides massive injury update on Rajat Patidar ahead of KKR clash

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) skipper Rajat Patidar had sustained a finger injury during his side's clash against the Chennai Super Kings on May 3. The 31-year-old would have ended up missing some matches if the IPL went on according to its original schedule. However, a rise in border tensions between India and Pakistan saw IPL 2025 get suspended for a week, giving Patidar valuable time to recover.

Rajat Patidar practiced in the nets on Thursday

Reportedly Patidar batted for close to 30 minutes in the nets on Thursday, May 15 as RCB got back to training, two days before their clash against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the M. Chinnaswamy stadium.

Patidar's finger injury took 10 days to heal successfully and there are high chances that he will get selected in the Bengaluru-based franchise's clash against KKR on May 17.

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Ahead of the much-awaited clash against KKR, RCB team director Mo Bobat provided a major fitness update on Patidar at a press-conference. Bobat stated that the disruption in IPL ended up giving Patidar time to recover. He added that the RCB captain has been practicing well for the past few days.

"Rajat's going well. He had an injury to his hand, but he's been building up ever so slowly. For him personally, probably the disruption gave him a few more days just to get through some of that early healing, and for the swelling to go down, and for him to get used to picking up a bat again. He's practiced the last few days and he's going well," Bobat said at the press-conference.

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It is safe to say that it will be a big boost for RCB if Patidar is cleared to play in the match against KKR as they have given fantastic performances under his leadership in the ongoing IPL season.

The Bengaluru-based franchise currently sits on the second place on the IPL points table. They have accumulated 16 points from 11 matches and are among the favourites to qualify for the playoffs.

Patidar has featured in 38 matches in IPL so far in which he has amassed a total of 1038 runs with a strike rate of 154.23. His batting average in the IPL currently stands at 31.45. In the ongoing 18th season of the IPL, Patidar has been a consistent presence in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's lineup, playing in all of their 11 matches thus far. He has contributed 239 runs at a strike rate of 140.59, with an average of 23.90 for the current season.