RCB make Jitesh Sharma captain for Sunrisers Hyderabad match, Rajat Patidar made Impact Player. Here's why
Rajat Patidar sustained the finger injury during the home game vs CSK before IPL 2025 was temporarily suspended due to Indo-Pak hostilities.
Having sustained a finger injury, Rajat Patidar has been included as an Impact Player and won’t field against SRH in their IPL 2025 fixture, on Friday. The RCB skipper is fit to bat, as revealed earlier by RCB head coach Andy Flower. (IPL 2025, RCB vs SRH Live Score)
In Patidar’s absence, Jitesh Sharma has been named as RCB skipper for the SRH fixture, and it will be his first time leading the team.
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The wicketkeeper-batter appeared for toss at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, and won it, opting to field. After winning the toss, he said, “It's my first time captaining RCB. I captained PBKS against SRH last year. We are thinking to bowl first, want to take most of the surface from the moisture. We are looking forward to finish the league on top of the table and enter the playoffs.”
“The management has taken care of the players. We have a good atmosphere and culture. We want to win every game and win the cup. Rajat Patidar is the impact player. Mayank comes in for Padikkal,” he added.
Patidar sustained the finger injury during the home game vs CSK before IPL 2025 was temporarily suspended due to Indo-Pak hostilities.
Speaking on Patidar’s injury, head coach Flower said, “Rajat Patidar for one has given his right hand a little bit of time to settle after getting quite a bad knock. So, he is fit to bat, which is great.”
RCB are unbeaten at home this season, and have already qualified for the playoffs. They face SRH in their penultimate league game, and will be hoping to bag a win. Last season’s runners-up SRH, on the other hand, are already eliminated from playoffs contention. Also, opener Travis Head has recovered from Covid-19 and back to the SRH XI for the match on Friday.
RCB are unbeaten in six away games this season, and statistically the match vs SRH is a home game for them, although it is in Lucknow.
