IPL 2022 Eliminator: Rajat Patidar postponed marriage to return to RCB after surprise late call-up

IPL 2022: Maharashtra batter Rajat Patidar had his wedding date set after he went unsold at the mega auction in February. However, the 28-year-old received a late call-up from RCB and he has made the most of it.

28-year-old Rajat Patida lit up the Eden Gardens on Wednesday, May 25 as he played one of the finest knocks in the history of IPL knockout stages. The Royal Challengers Bangalore batter hit 112 not out from just 54 balls in a stunning display of fearless big-hitting against Lucknow Super Giants in the Eliminator.

At one of the biggest stages of world cricket, Rajat Patidar proved he is here for the long haul, hitting a hundred that the fans of RCB will remember for a long, long time. Patidar's knock helped RCB end their Eliminator jinx and book a berth in the Qualifier 2 against Rajasthan Royals while eliminating Lucknow Super Giants from the tournament.

Patidar has certainly made heads turn with India's biggest cricket superstar Virat Kohli earmarking him as one to watch out in the future.

However, Patidar was not initially supposed to be at the Eden Gardens, carrying an RCB batting attack that had the likes of Faf du Plessis, Kohli and Dinesh Karthik in one of their biggest matches in recent IPL history.

Patidar was set to get married in May after he went unsold in the IPL 2022 mega auction in February, according to The New Indian Express. Patidar, who had played 4 matches and scored 71 runs in IPL 2021, was not retained by RCB. They did not bid for him in the mega auction but an injury to Luvnith Sisodia meant Patidar was roped in as a replacement player for Rs 20 lakh on April 3.

"The plan was to get him married on May 9. It was supposed to be a small function and I had booked a hotel too in Indore," Manohar Patidar, Rajat's father, was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

Patidar, who plays for Madhya Pradesh, will now tie the knot with the girl from Ratlam in July after he completes his commitments with the state team in the Ranji Trophy knockout stages. Madhya Pradesh take on Punjab in their quarter-final outing from June 6.