“I always observe his batting from the back of the nets”: Rajat Patidar on playing along Virat Kohli.
Rajat Patidar has been included in India’s squad for the first two Tests of the ongoing five-match series against England. The right-handed batsman recently discussed how he draws inspiration from star player Virat Kohli.
Having shared the dressing room with Kohli for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Patidar mentioned that he often observes Kohli’s batting techniques during net practice sessions. In a video shared by the BCCI on its official social media platforms on Thursday, February 1, Patidar highlighted the valuable lessons he learns from watching Kohli’s approach to batting.
Patidar said “I always observe his (Kohli’s) batting from the back of the nets, especially his footwork and body movement while batting is amazing. I enjoy watching him bat. I want to add those skills. It’s not easy, but am relentless about it.”
Patidar also expressed his admiration for Team India captain Rohit Sharma’s ability to manipulate the field set by the opposition, indicating that he keenly observes Sharma’s strategies as well, saying
“I have an aggressive batting style and have batted like this since domestic cricket. It’s all about how you prepare. It has become a habit now. I study the pattern of opponent bowlers, how they place their field, and I observe how Rohit bhai tackles the field positions. I try to add these learnings into my game.”
It’s important to note that Patidar was brought into India’s squad for the first two Tests against England following Virat Kohli’s decision to withdraw from the matches due to personal reasons. Despite being in the squad, Patidar did not feature in the playing XI for the series opener in Hyderabad.
With senior players Ravindra Jadeja and KL Rahul sidelined due to injuries, Patidar stands a chance of making his Test debut in the second Test against England.