‘When I started at club level…’: RCB skipper Patidar on developing his ability against spin

BENGALURU:Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) skipper Rajat Patidar on Friday spoke on his proficiency against spin bowling, saying that the development of his ability against spin can be traced back to his club cricket days when he used to play on “unprepared” wickets.

Patidar was speaking on the latest episode of the RCB Podcast. During the podcast, he highlighted how his days in club cricket and the quality spinners of his domestic side, Madhya Pradesh, helped him push his abilities against spin.

Patidar, who was appointed as the captain of the franchise this year, was quoted as saying as per a press note about his spin abilities, “When I started at the club level, most games were on unprepared wickets. You did not get well-prepared surfaces, so I gradually got used to playing spin. Before my Ranji debut, we had a home-and-away format where the home team prepared the wickets. Since we had three quality spinners, we opted for spin-friendly tracks, and I knew I would be playing on a square-turner.”

Patidar also said that while practicing, he would practice the sweep shot for three hours per day.

“There was only one thought in my mind: if I had to score runs on those pitches, I needed to develop that shot. It is a shot that can put pressure on bowlers on turning tracks,” he added.

Patidar also revealed that he used to look up to Indian batting legend Rahul Dravid and his ability to play spin.

“I saw a lot of his batting in Test matches, especially on spin tracks. The way he used his footwork, whether it was the front foot or the back foot, and how he used the crease, I got to learn a lot from him,” he added.

During the remaining season, Patidar will be aiming to overcome a lean run of form since the last three to four games. In 11 games and 10 innings, he has scored 239 runs at an average of 23.90, with a strike rate of 140.58. He has scored two half-centuries, with the best score of 64.

RCB is at the second spot with eight wins and three losses, giving them 16 points. They will play their next match against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Bengaluru on Saturday, which will mark the resumption of the tournament. (ANI)