Influential players in the team will be right behind new skipper Rajat Patidar: Andy Flower

Kolkata, Mar 21 (PTI) Rajat Patidar might have been a surprise choice to lead star-studded Royal Challengers Bengaluru, but head coach Andy Flower on Friday said the whole team is “right behind” the skipper and the presence of experienced players such as Virat Kohli and Bhuvneshwar Kumar will be a boon for him.

Royal Challengers will begin their IPL 2025 campaign against Kolkata Knight Riders here on Saturday, and it will be Patidar’s first outing as a captain in the league.

“A lot of these guys have captained state sides, IPL teams and international teams. So, we’re very pleased with that, regardless of who was actually captaining our team this year,” said Flower in the pre-match media interaction.

“I think having influential people in your squad, guys that have performed at the top level gives him a level of confidence. You get that confidence from the evidence of you succeeding at the top level in the past. There are a lot of our guys that have done that in, obviously, performance terms, but also leadership terms,” he added.

Flower said Patidar is really excited about leading the side that has some top of the line stars like Kohli, Bhuvneshwar, Josh Hazlewood, Phil Salt and Krunal Pandya.

“We were conscious of that in our recruitment and they will be able to give a lot of support to Rajat. I think he is really excited about his challenge. And it’s a brilliant challenge for him. We’re right behind him,” he said.

Flower further said the RCB bowling department has its own set of leaders.

“We’ve got Hazelwood, Bhuvi, Yash (Dayal) and Krunal. And even Yash has got some good experience now. And he’s got a pretty calm, good head on his shoulders.

“So, that’s four guys that will almost be captaining themselves in terms of tactics and decision making. We’re in a good place in our squad and our team with that leadership capacity,” he noted.

Rule changes fair contest

The Zimbabwean great welcomed the rule changes for IPL 2025, particularly the introduction of two balls in the second innings of the night games to counter the dew factor.

Bowlers have another reason to rejoice as the BCCI also lifted the ban on saliva usage to shine the ball, a rule which came into effect during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’ve always wondered why there was this reticence on the umpire’s part to change the ball, to make it an even and fair contest.

“We’re always looking for a fair balance between bat and ball. In conditions where dew does affect games significantly, I think that’s a really good rule change and about time.

“The saliva part, I don’t see it as being that important. We’ll see if it has an effect as long as not too many people all of a sudden become huge fans of sugary sweets,” he added in a lighter vein.

In conditions that have historically favoured wrist-spinners, RCB have left with an inexperienced Suyash Sharma to man that department.

But Flower backed the young bowler and said he will be backed by the likes of Krunal, Liam Livingstone and Mohit Rathee.

“We’ve got Suyash, who is a very exciting young prospect with limited experience but really high ceiling, and Mohit Rathee to back him up.

“We’re looking for great things from Suyash, but none of us know exactly how he’s going to go in a full IPL season,” he said.

Flower said fans need to be patient with such young talents.

“We’re hoping for great things from him, but we are also not expecting him to be Shane Warne. We’ve got to be patient and let him learn from his experiences, and it’s good that he’s got these experienced cricketers around him and a captain that he’ll be comfortable working with.”

Flower said Suyash has recuperated fully from a groin surgery.