When Royal Challengers Bengaluru began their quest for Faf du Plessis’s replacement as skipper after IPL 2024, a long, arduous process might have appeared on their cards. But the search was short, swift and rapid, ending with the slight, unlikely figure of Rajat Patidar.

The right-hander from Madhya Pradesh ticked most boxes – he was experienced, calm and composed, a terrific stroke-maker with decent IPL pedigree including a century in the 2022 playoffs, and well respected within the group. If there was one ‘minus’, it was that he didn’t have a great body of captaincy work.