On April 2, at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Mumbai Indians (MI) will kick off their respective IPL 2023 campaigns.
Josh Hazelwood and Rajat Patidar, two of the franchise’s key players, were ruled out of the first few games of the competition, dealing the franchise a severe setback days before the tournament began.
Last year, both RCB players were essential to their team’s success up until Qualifier 2. Patidar’s undefeated 112-run effort helped Bangalore win the crucial elimination game against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by 14 runs. The spirited hitter sustained a heel injury prior to reporting to the RCB camp for the 2023 season, which has kept him out of action for the time being.
RCB will be without Patidar’s services in their opening game against the five-time winners MI. Sanjay Bangar, head coach of RCB, is optimistic that Patidar would soon receive the all-clear from the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and rejoin the team in time for the already underway championship game.
Bangar spoke about Patidar’s injury and said, “In terms of Rajat, he is currently beyond our control; at the NCA, he is essentially receiving care there, and we are still awaiting his explanations. Our media staff will keep you updated once we have more information, and it’s possible that the NCA may make a very sporting decision about what he does or what his future holds.”
According to Cricbuzz, the match-winning player for RCB is receiving treatment at the NCA for a heel injury. Also, it is suggested that the 29-year-old rest for the upcoming several weeks. His chances of competing in the second half of the competition will be determined by an MRI exam in the following days. The three-time IPL runners-up may change their batting lineup without Patidar.
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