Rajat Patidar’s brilliant domestic performance last season has finally paid off as the 29-year-old has now managed to earn his maiden national call-up for the ODI series against South Africa. Manohar Patidar, father of Rajat, has now opened up on his son’s selection. Rajat’s inclusion might have surprised Indian cricket fans but Manohar Patidar saw it coming. He feels that his son’s terrific form in recent times was enough to earn a berth in the Indian squad.
“Since he started playing Ranji, I was very sure that he will go way forward (in his career). I was certain of this (selection) from the way he adopted his playing technique in the beginning. He made some good runs, and even if you look at his recent innings for India A, he performed very well," Manohar was quoted as saying by Sportskeeda.
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While talking about the initial phase of Rajat’s career, Manohar pointed out that his son was not interested in anything else apart from cricket. He said Rajat was never put under any pressure by the family members on events related to the game of cricket.
For Rajat, it was not a swift start to the year 2022. He had failed to secure a franchise at the IPL mega auction in February. He showed no signs of despondency and produced a superb show in the Ranji Trophy. Rajat finished the Ranji Trophy league stage with 335 runs in his kitty. His sublime batting did not go unnoticed. Rajat was eventually roped in by the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
He eventually became the first uncapped Indian cricketer to notch a ton in a playoff match. Rajat had finished his second IPL season with 333 runs to his name.
After a sensational IPL season, Rajat resumed his Ranji Trophy campaign and ended the tournament as the second-highest run-scorer. Rajat had scored 658 runs in nine innings in last season’s Ranji Trophy.
Rajat is now all set to make his international debut in the ODI series against South Africa. Team India, under the leadership of Shikhar Dhawan will play the first match on Thursday in Lucknow. The second ODI will be played in Ranchi on Sunday while the final game is slated to be hosted by Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium on October 11.
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