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Indore (Madhya Pradesh) [India], October 7 (ANI): Indian batter Rajat Patidar will take over Madhya Pradesh's all-format captaincy ahead of the 2025-26 domestic season which will begin for the side with Ranji Trophy from October 15 onwards, reported ESPNCricinfo on Tuesday.
Rajat has replaced Shubham Sharma, and it is understood that 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.
The 32-year-old was first given the state's captaincy armband 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 justified the team management in him 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*.
Rajat led RCB to their maiden IPL title in 18 years and recently was crucial to the Central Zone's Duleep Trophy triumph for the first time since 2014-15. The batter finished as the top run-getter in the Duleep Trophy, with 382 runs in five innings across three matches, averaging 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.
Last week, he also was the captain of a strong Rest of India (ROI) for the Irani Cup against Vidarbha. ROI featured stars like Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Abhimanyu Easwaran, but lost to Vidarbha by 93 runs. Patidar scored a vital 66 in the final.
During the 2024-25 Ranji season, Rajat scored 529 runs in 11 innings at an average of 48.09, with a century and three fifties, emerging as side's second-highest run-getter next to Shubham, who made a massive 943 runs at an average of 104.77, with three centuries and four fifties in 13 innings.
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.
Patidar's form has been impressive this season, having hit two centuries and three fifties already in seven innings across the Duleep Trophy and Irani Cup.
MP will be starting their Ranji campaign against Punjab at Indore. The tournament will have two phases, 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.
Patidar also made his Indian debut in 2023, playing three Tests and scoring just 63 runs against England during a disappointing home series, with his best score of 32 in six innings. His sole ODI came that year only against South Africa away from home, in which he scored a brisk 22. (ANI)