Rajat Patidar has joined an elite club of IPL captains, with former India selector Saba Karim drawing direct comparisons between the Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper and legends MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma after RCB's second consecutive IPL title victory on 1 June. The Bengaluru franchise beat Gujarat Titans by five wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad to seal back-to-back championships.

A Captain for the Ages

Patidar is now only the third captain in IPL history to win consecutive titles, following MS Dhoni — who won in the 2010 and 2011 seasons — and Rohit Sharma, who triumphed in the 2019 and 2020 seasons. The achievement cements his standing as one of the format's most astute leaders despite a relatively brief international career.

'One of the biggest reasons behind RCB winning a second consecutive title has been the clarity around individual roles within the team, and Rajat Patidar deserves a lot of credit for that,' Karim said on Star Sports. 'If you look at his journey, he came in as a replacement player and eventually became the captain.'

Karim was particularly struck by Patidar's ability to command respect in a dressing room that includes Virat Kohli. 'For someone without international experience, earning respect in a dressing room filled with world-class players, including Virat Kohli, is not easy. Rajat earned that respect through consistent performances,' he added. 'When we talk about captains who have led teams to consecutive titles, names like MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma come up, and I can see similarities in the way Rajat Patidar leads this team.'

RCB's Place in IPL History

The victory makes RCB only the third franchise to win back-to-back IPL titles, after Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings. Former RCB head coach Sanjay Bangar — who preceded Andy Flower in the role — described the triumph as the culmination of years of near-misses.

'RCB always looked capable of making this kind of impact, but they had to wait a long time for it. They were consistently reaching the playoffs and finals, but once they tasted success and found a group of players who complemented each other well, things started to fall into place,' Bangar said.

Bangar also highlighted the squad's international pedigree as a key differentiator. 'What stands out about this RCB side is the experience it possesses. Most of the players have played international cricket, so in many ways it resembles an international team in terms of its make-up. That experience and temperament become invaluable in pressure situations,' he noted, adding that this could mark the beginning of a sustained period of dominance for the franchise.

Where Gujarat Titans Fell Short

Former India spinner and Gujarat Titans legend Anil Kumble offered a candid post-mortem of the runners-up campaign, pinpointing the middle order as the critical weakness. 'Gujarat Titans bounced back strongly after losing their first two matches, with their top order consistently providing excellent starts. Their bowling attack was also experienced and capable of handling pressure situations,' Kumble observed.

'However, the middle order lacked consistency whenever the top order failed. Opposition teams knew that dismissing the top three early gave them a real chance in the game, and that is exactly what happened in the final,' he said. Kumble indicated that shoring up the middle order would be GT's foremost priority ahead of the next season.

What This Means for Indian Cricket

Patidar's rise from replacement player to back-to-back title-winning captain is a compelling narrative within Indian domestic cricket. This comes amid growing debate around the IPL's role in producing future national leaders, and Patidar's trajectory — built on franchise cricket rather than a conventional international pathway — adds a new dimension to that conversation. Whether he translates this franchise success into a sustained India call-up remains the next question to answer.