After becoming a star of Royal Challengers Bangalore in the last edition of the Indian Premier League, Rajat Patidar has been ruled out of the tournament due to an Achilles Heel injury. This is a massive blow for the Faf du Plessis & Co. as they were looking forward to a similar kind of display from Rajat which he showed in the previous season.
As the RCB batter is now out, the team is eager to find his perfect replacement. Today, let us take a glance at the five possible replacements for Rajat Patidar. Here’s a look:
#5 Abhimanyu Easwaran
Bengal player Abhimanyu Easwaran is one of the contenders for the replacement of Rajat Patidar. Easwaran went unsold in a mini-IPL auction that took place in December 2022. His base price was only INR 20 lakhs but none of the franchises showed interest in him.
As cricket is all about getting chances, it is going to be a big moment for the 27-year-old cricketer if he gets the nod. Another advantage of having Easwaran in the side is that he can open the innings giving Kohli the option to bat at his favored No.3 position.
With an average of 48 in first-class cricket and the experience of playing for Indian A as well, the right-handed batter would be looking ahead to make his mark in the IPL.
#4 Karun Nair
Karun Nair has been one of the most unluckiest players in the history of cricket. It is quite rare that a player smashes a triple century in Test cricket and then gets ignored afterwards. The talented batter from Karnataka has a rich experience in IPL with 76 matches to his bucket. Nair has scored 10 half-centuries in the league and is a perfect contender for the place.
In the auction for the 2023 IPL, Nair went unsold with a base price of INR 50 lakhs. However, being from Karnataka, the right-hander has been a part of RCB in the past and is aware of the conditions of Bengaluru which could be handy for the team. His experience at certain levels is an added advantage and RCB can go for him if he gets lucky.
#3 Mohammed Azharuddeen
A talented cricketer from Kerala was a part of Royal Challengers Bangalore last year but did not get a chance to play for the side. Keeping in mind his presence and his performance in the domestic circuit, he can be recalled to the side to replace Rajat Patidar. Though he went unsold in the auction, he can get a chance to play for one of the biggest franchises in the league.
Azharuddeen is a wicket-keeper as well and that would allow the team to try another option in the finishing role if Dinesh Karthik is unable to rediscover his form from the past. Undoubtedly, Karthik will be the first-choice keeper for RCB, but having Azharuddeen in the frame opens the door to a greater extent for the side.
#2 Sachin Baby
Another Keralite, Sachin Baby has played a few games in the IPL in the past and what makes him an apt choice is that he was associated with RCB. The management and the few regular members know a lot about his style of playing and can go for him as a replacement.
In the mini-auction that happened in December, Baby remained unsold even if his base price was only INR 20 lakhs. So far, he has played 19 IPL matches in which he got 11 chances to bat where he scored 144 runs with 33 being his highest score.
We have seen him playing some big shots towards the end of the innings which can be a big boost for the franchise from Karnataka as he could play the role of a floater in the middle order if Shahbaz Ahmed is given the vacant No.3 slot.
#1 Gurkeerat Singh Mann
One of the finest players from the state of Punjab, Gurkeerat Singh Mann has a rich IPL experience with 41 matches to his name. He has scored 511 runs in his IPL career so far scoring 55 boundaries and 11 maximums. He can strike the ball well and can be handy in the later stages of the game.
The 32-year-old remained unsold in the auction this time with a base price of INR 50 lakhs. Surprisingly, he was a part of the Gujarat Titans squad that won the Indian Premier League last year but was left out of this edition’s plans.
Gurkeerat has been a part of RCB previously but his best performances came with Punjab Kings over time. Now, RCB would want someone like him who can go after every delivery in the death overs.