Wed Dec 04 03:53:33 UTC 2024: **RCB’s Rising Stars Dominate Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy; Strong IPL 2025 Lineup Takes Shape**
Bangalore, India – While Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) continues its quest for an IPL title despite boasting a star-studded roster including Virat Kohli, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, and Faf du Plessis, two of its players are making headlines in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2024.
Rajat Patidar, retained by RCB for a hefty ₹11 crore, and Jitesh Sharma, acquired for the same price at auction, are exhibiting explosive form for their respective state teams. Patidar, playing for Madhya Pradesh, has amassed 253 runs in six matches at a blistering strike rate of nearly 177, including three fifties. His recent performances include a 16-ball 36 against Hyderabad and a 14-ball 38 against Chhattisgarh.
Sharma, representing Vidarbha, hasn’t accumulated as many runs but has maintained a destructive strike rate of 229. This impressive form bodes well for RCB’s middle order, which already includes power hitters like Faf du Plessis, Liam Livingstone, and Tim David. Patidar’s IPL career boasts 799 runs in 27 matches, including one century and seven fifties, while Sharma, despite 730 runs in 40 IPL matches, is yet to score a half-century in the tournament.
The SMAT also witnessed a remarkable hat-trick by Shreyas Gopal, who dismissed both Pandya brothers for golden ducks. The tournament’s impressive performances by Patidar and Sharma suggest a potentially dominant RCB batting lineup in IPL 2025.
First Piper 