Mike Hesson, director of cricket for Royal Challengers Bangalore, stated that the franchise would prefer to continue using its starting lineup, which includes captain Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli, in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL). RCB would have been hoping to secure a strong and reliable opening partnership for the season with Kohli appearing to be close to being back at his top in T20 cricket last year. Hesson had stated that they would go for it knowing that they have Rajat Patidar in the middle order.
Patidar will, however, likely miss the first half of the 2023 Indian Premier League due to his injury. The RCB star has a heel issue, and has reportedly been instructed to take three weeks off. Patidar is receiving medical treatment at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru (NCA). If RCB cannot find a way to fill the gap that Patidar would create until they do, it may force them to reconsider their opening collaboration.
The 29-year-old, who was chosen as a replacement halfway through the previous season, was crucial to the success of RCB. He eventually recorded the quickest century by an Indian in the tournament’s history during the Elimination. Behind skipper AB Du Plessis and Virat Kohli, Patidar finished the season as the third-highest run scorer for RCB with 333 runs in seven innings with a strike rate of 152.75. The Patidar injury occurs at a time when Josh Hazlewood’s availability is unknown to RCB. The Australian fast bowler’s Achilles injury is currently improving. He missed the first two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in February and left midway through the match to fly home. Hazlewood’s health will be closely monitored because the Ashes series and Australia’s World Test Championship final are slated to start immediately after the IPL on May 28.
