RCB vs CSK: Not Virat Kohli!! Rajat Patidar credits this for Bengaluru's turnaround

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Rajat Patidar has credited his team’s incredible turnaround in the IPL 2024 playoffs race to their newfound commitment to “playing for pride." Patidar revealed that the support from the franchise and team management has been allowing players to perform at their best in the ongoing IPL 2024 lately.

The 30-year-old Indian batter further said that the positive team environment, even during challenging times, is playing a significant role in building the character of the team later this season.

Patidar credited playing for pride as a driving force behind RCB’s remarkable resurgence in the ongoing IPL 2024, comparing their turnaround to their successful campaign in 2016. He also pointed out that the RCB’s past success serves as motivation for the team in the tournament.

RCB close to qualifying for IPL 2024 Playoffs after a remarkable turnaround

Notably, RCB had a challenging start to this season, losing seven of their first eight matches so far in the lucrative tournament. However, they managed to make a stunning comeback by winning their last five games to have great chances to make it to the IPL Playoffs.

RCB is currently placed in fifth place in the standings after their recent 47-run win over the Delhi Capitals (DC), and they are now just two points behind the fourth-place Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).

Well, RCB's resurgence has injected new energy into their campaign and players, and now they will be aiming to beat Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their final league game on May 17 to qualify for the IPL 2024 Playoffs.

Playing for pride was a turnaround: Rajat Patidar

Rajat Patidar said in a media interaction: “To get support from the franchise and the team management allows the players to do their best on the field. The environment was good in the team even when things were not going our away. I think that plays a huge role in building the character of the team. I think that of course it's a big franchise and playing for pride that was turn around. We have done earlier also in 2016. So, I think we have an example in our own team pricing there.”

Patidar also opened up about the valuable lessons he learned from his RCB teammate and one of the greatest batters of the world, Virat Kohli. Kohli's unwavering dedication and immense passion for the game serve as a source of inspiration for aspiring cricketers across the globe.

The right-handed batter stressed that not only his exceptional skills make Kohli a successful cricketer, but his commitment to putting the team above all else also makes him a modern-era legend, and that’s a crucial lesson he learned from him. Patidar signed off by saying, “He always keeps the team first, which is a good thing to learn for every player.”

Now, RCB would be hoping to beat CSK in their final league game at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium and SRH to lose both their games to not depend on other factors to book a spot in the IPL 2024 Playoffs as the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) already qualified.