Out of favour India batter and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Rajat Patidar has picked the greatest T20 batter of all time, putting a West Indies legend ahead of a host of iconic names from the history of the shortest format.
Patidar made the revelation during an appearance on the Sports Launchpad YouTube channel, where he participated in a segment requiring him to choose between some of the biggest stars to have played T20 cricket. The RCB skipper initially selected Rohit Sharma before eventually backing Chris Gayle as his ultimate choice.
Rajat Patidar starts with Rohit Sharma
Patidar’s selection process began with several renowned T20 batters being placed against one another. He initially chose Rohit over Jos Buttler, Suresh Raina, Faf du Plessis, Glenn Maxwell, Shane Watson and David Warner.
As the bracket progressed, the decisions became increasingly difficult. Patidar eventually chose AB de Villiers over Rohit, highlighting the enormous regard in which he holds the former South Africa international.
However, de Villiers was not Patidar’s final selection.
As more legendary names entered the contest, Chris Gayle eventually emerged as the RCB captain’s choice for the greatest T20 batter. Gayle’s extraordinary record in franchise cricket and his ability to dominate bowling attacks across the world evidently gave him the edge over the other legends considered by Patidar.
Chris Gayle’s huge impact on T20 cricket
Gayle has long been regarded as one of the most influential batters in T20 cricket. His combination of immense power, consistency and ability to clear boundaries with remarkable ease made him one of the format’s most feared players.
The West Indies star also has a special connection with RCB. Gayle represented the Bengaluru franchise for several seasons and produced some of the most memorable individual performances in IPL history.
His spectacular batting made him a fan favourite and played a major role in RCB’s growing popularity. Even after his departure from the IPL, Gayle’s association with the franchise remains strong.
Alongside Viral Kohli and de Villiers, he became one of the defining names of RCB’s modern history.
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Patidar reveals Virat Kohli’s support
During the conversation, Patidar also opened up about his relationship with Kohli and the former RCB captain’s support for him.
Patidar described it as a privilege to take over the captaincy from one of the most important players in the franchise’s history. He revealed that he had closely observed Kohli throughout his career, paying attention not only to his batting but also to his routines and approach away from the field.
“If your idol backs you, then you don’t need anything more,” Patidar said.
The RCB captain explained that Kohli had backed him significantly, including when the franchise was considering him for the leadership role. Patidar acknowledged that captaining RCB is a huge responsibility because of the team’s massive fanbase and the expectations attached to the franchise.
According to Patidar, Kohli must have seen qualities in him that convinced him to support his appointment as captain.
Rajat Patidar carries RCB into a new era
Patidar’s journey at RCB has developed rapidly. After establishing himself as an important member of the team’s batting lineup, he took on the responsibility of leading the franchise in IPL 2025. He also ended RCB’s long-standing wait for an IPL title, leading the franchise to its maiden championship in 2025 before securing back-to-back IPL trophies in 2026.
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