Patidar replaces Shubham Sharma as Madhya Pradesh’s captain across all formats
Led RCB to their first IPL title and Central Zone to the Duleep Trophy triumph
MP’s domestic season begins October 15 with a Ranji home game against Punjab in Indore
Rajat Patidar has been named Madhya Pradesh’s captain across formats ahead of the 2025-26 domestic season, following a decision by director of cricket Chandrakant Pandit.
The move comes after Patidar’s breakout year, where his leadership and form caught national attention. The 32-year-old Indore batter had already captained MP in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last season, guiding them to the final, and was seen as a natural choice for the full-time role.
Patidar's Rise
Since then, Patidar's rise has been remarkable. He led Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their maiden IPL title earlier this year before steering Central Zone to a Duleep Trophy victory, their first since 2014-15. He was also handed the reins of the Rest of India squad in the Irani Cup but lost to Ranji champions Vidarbha, led by Akshay Wadkar.
Patidar has been equally prolific with the bat. In the 2024-25 Ranji season, he amassed 529 runs in 11 innings at an average of 48.09, including a century and two fifties. His red-hot start to the current season has seen him notch two hundreds and three fifties in just seven innings, with one ton coming in the Duleep Trophy final.
Madhya Pradesh's Domestic Season
Madhya Pradesh will kick off their Ranji Trophy campaign at home against Punjab in Indore on October 15. The season is split across two phases, October to November and January to February before the knockouts begin on February 6.
