Subhayan Chakraborty in Ahmedabad
With the Indian Premier League 2025 final one-sleep away, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings captains, Rajat Patidar and Shreyas Iyer, addressed the pre-match press conference, sharing their excitement on the eve of the summit clash at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. While the pressure and expectations are there to lift the glittering trophy, both captains acknowledged that they want to “control the controllables” and play the best cricket possible on the big day.
“Expectations come naturally, especially when you’re leading a team like RCB in a final, but I always focus on what’s in my control and try to stay in the present,” Patidar said. “This captaincy journey has been a great learning experience for me. Being around some of the best leaders and foreign players in the game has really shaped my approach. I’ve focused on creating a relaxed and secure environment, where both domestic and international players feel confident. We’re not thinking too much about the stage; we’re here to play our best cricket. Virat (Kohli) has contributed so much over the years, winning would mean a lot, especially for him and the fans. Facing Shreyas again in a final is a nice coincidence, but the challenge is new, and we’re prepared for it.”
Shreyas put things in perspective. “I’m both thrilled and excited to be part of this final. Obviously, they (RCB) are a very competitive team. Hoping to have a fantastic game tomorrow. I personally love to play the situation as much as possible and not get too ahead of the game,” he told reporters, adding: “I see if I’m chasing, I see what is the run rate and how the wicket is playing, and on the basis of that, I plan my tactics and also I see to it that I take the game to the end. So all these planning have to be precise. I back myself, I back my instincts.”
Shreyas, in particular, has been the standout captain in the tournament. After leading Kolkata Knight Riders to the title last season, he has been the focal point of PBKS’ success this season. While Shreyas didn’t boast about his leadership much, he stated that early momentum in the tournament helped Punjab Kings excel in this season, and finish top of the league table.
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When asked about his qualities as captain, Shreyas said: “I feel that the role of a captain is that you have to get the best out of your players in terms of performance and when we got a start in this tournament with two victories, we got momentum from the start. And after that every individual kept stepping up. There are a lot of youngsters in our team, you got to see their fearless nature. Right from ball one, they are dictating the terms and they are still doing it.”
Shreyas also praised PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting for his role behind the scenes. “He is an amazing coach who manages the players precisely and I personally feel that one thing that stands out with him is that he treats everyone equally. So that gives a real big boost to every individual whether he is a junior or a senior. When you know that the coach is treating everyone equally, you are positive and you get that freedom from him to go out there and express the best of your abilities,” said the PBKS skipper, adding: “I have never seen his emotions going up and down irrespective of the results and that is the sign of a great coach. The assertive thoughts that he provides with his speeches before and after the game, that gives us immense boost when we step onto the field and also after the game, we are excited to listen to him and what sort of thoughts and experience he shares with us. It is simply phenomenal to be around him.”
Whereas on his leadership, Patidar said that being around experienced players has helped him elevate his captaincy. Notably, Patidar is leading an IPL franchise for the first time. “Till now, I think I have enjoyed it a lot, to be honest. It is a great opportunity to learn from the great leaders of the game, great players, and great foreign players of the game. So I think it is a great opportunity for me to learn from them and their different ideas, which is helping me a lot in my leadership role.”
Patidar was asked whether too much emphasis around Kohli, in the build-up to the final, has brought any sort of distraction or frustration for him as a captain. “It is not frustrating for me. As I said, we are not looking on the stage that we are in the finals. We will try to play our best cricket. We are not playing here for the stage. I always like to keep things simple. We will see and it will be an exciting game for RCB. He (Kohli) has given a lot of years to RCB and the international side also. I think we will try to do our best in the game,” said the RCB skipper.
Also Read: RCB vs PBKS: Shreyas Iyer Delivers a Strong Statement Ahead of the Final