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Indian batter Rajat Patidar has been rewarded with all formats captaincy for Madhya Pradesh cricket ahead of the 2025-26 domestic season, which will begin for the side with the Ranji Trophy from October 15 onwards. The right-handed batter will lead the side in all formats after his brilliant captaincy in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Patidar captained the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to their maiden IPL title, defeating Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the final at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Why Rajat Patidar appointed Madhya Pradesh captain?
Rajat has replaced Shubman Sharma, who captained Madhya Pradesh in the last edition of the Ranji Trophy, and as per ESPNcricinfo, Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) and the team, having a reputed domestic coach, Chandrakant Pandit, as their Director of Cricket, were keen to have the domestic stalwart play a much bigger role in the franchise.
Patidar was first given the captaincy duties during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last season after he had spoken to Pandit about the possibility of landing the role with his Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). He impressed everyone with his captaincy by not only taking the team to the final, where they lost to Mumbai, but also emerging as the second-highest run-getter with 428 runs in 10 matches at an average of 61.14, a strike rate of 186.08 and five fifties. His best score was 81*.
The batter also played a crucial role in the Central Zone's Duleep Trophy triumph for the first time since 2014-15. Patidar ended his campaign as the highest run-getter in the Duleep Trophy, scoring 381 runs in five innings in three matches at an average of 76.40 with a stunning strike rate of over 96, with two centuries and two fifties, with one of the centuries coming in the final against South Zone.
Patidar in Irani Cup
Patidar also captained Rest of India (ROI) for the Irani Cup against Vidarbha. Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Abhimanyu Easwaran are some of the notable names in Patidar-led ROI where they suffered a 93-run defeat against Vidarbha, where Patidar scored 66 runs in the title decider.
During the last Ranji season, Rajat Patidar amassed 529 runs in 11 innings at an average of 48.09, including a century and three half-centuries, and ended his campaign as the second-highest run-getter after Shubham.
Rajat Patidar's first-class runs
In first-class cricket, Rajat has scored 5,196 runs at an average of 44.41 in 72 matches and 123 innings, with 15 centuries, 27 fifties, and a best score of 196.
Madhya Pradesh Ranji Trophy 2025 campaign
Madhya Pradesh will start their Ranji campaign against Punjab at Indore. The tournament will be played in two phases, the first one from October 15 to November 19, before a break for the white-ball tournament arrives. After white-ball tournaments, the second leg will start from January 22 and will last till February 1, with knockout matches set for February 6 to 28.
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