Punjab Kings-Royal Challengers Bengaluru keep date with destiny
AHMEDABAD: Even before one enters the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Monday evening, the mood on the Motera road reveals what's to be expected. Scores of Royal Challengers Bengaluru fans had already gathered in front of Gate 2 chanting RCB, RCB, RCB. The franchise from Bengaluru is already in the venue gearing up for what will be their first final in nine years.
Their captain Rajat Patidar sat quietly in the ground-floor press conference room alongside his counterpart watching most of the questions being directed at Shreyas Iyer of Punjab Kings. It seemed ironic that outside the venue all the attention and the buzz had been around RCB and on whether they would be able to finally get their hands on the trophy. Yet inside the room, Shreyas was bombarded with a flurry of questions.
Patidar and RCB would not mind this one bit. They have come together as a unit, despite not much contribution from their skipper’s bat after the first couple of weeks. They would invariably find someone or other stepping up when needed. When Patidar took charge as RCB captain ahead of the season he knew what he had signed up for. He was never going to eclipse the stardom of Virat Kohli. But he is also aware of the fact that should he win the final, he will become an eternal part of the Bengaluru cricketing folklore.
For someone who took over captaincy for the first time with Madhya Pradesh less than a year ago, Patidar did not take long to get the state team to the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament. He is quiet, unassuming, but one cannot mistake it for a lack of intensity when he gets on the field. Patidar, in his own words, has tried to create an environment where players thrive and going by this season results they seem to have. Whether it is Jitesh Sharma or Suyash Shamra or Krunal Pandya or Phil Salt or even someone like Swastik Chikara, they have all felt at home and it has reflected in their performances.
Patidar, while sticking to phrases like staying in present and controlling the controllables is very much aware of the magnitude of the situation. He knows it is going to be a home game for them in terms of fan support. He knows there will be massive expectations on him to win the IPL in the 18th edition for No. 18 – Virat Kohli. “I think we are not looking at the stage where we are going to play the final. But we will try to play our best cricket and we are not playing here for the stage. I always like to keep things simple and we will see and it will be an exciting game for us,” Patidar said.
Patidar and RCB would be going up against an upbeat Punjab Kings who have thrived in the confidence and attitude their captain Shreyas exudes. Punjab will go into the game with momentum and the high of beating Mumbai Indians the way they did on Sunday. Their captain, Shreyas, vowed to give everything on the field to get the job done. “When you are on the field, it's all about rivalry. So, I will put in everything and I will give in everything to see to it that my team wins,” Shreyas said.
This IPL final holds a lot of significance for the tournament as well. The season itself has had its share of ups and downs, stoppages and challenges. It is perhaps fitting that by the time the curtains come down, the Indian Premier League will have a new champion.