Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter Rajat Patidar attributed the team’s incredible turnaround to the strategy of ‘playing for pride’. After managing a solitary win out of their first eight matches, RCB was able to turn the tables, winning five matches on the bounce and becoming the first team to do so in IPL 2024.

RCB have played fearlessly in the last five matches and they have reaped rewards for the same. The franchise has adopted an aggressive approach and now stands a chance to qualify for the playoffs.

RCB will need to win against CSK and they also need to ensure that they have a better NRR than the defending champions.

Meanwhile, Rajat Patidar has played a key role in the success of RCB. Patidar has scored 320 runs in 11 innings at an average of 29.09 and a blistering strike rate of 179.77.

“To get support from the franchise and the team management allows the players to do their best on the field. The environment was good in the team even when things were not going our away. I think that plays a huge role in building the character of the team. I think that of course it’s a big franchise and playing for pride that was turn around. We have done earlier also in 2016. So I think we have an example in our own team pricing there,” Patidar said in a media interaction on Tuesday.

Patidar showered praise on veteran Virat Kohli for always putting the team first ahead of personal milestones.

“He always keeps the team first, which is a good thing to learn for every player,” said Patidar.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru will play their last league stage match of the season against Chennai Super Kings at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on Saturday.