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RCB Could Be Eyeing Two Young Guns Under Rajat Patidar’s Watch At IPL 2026 Auction

Amogh Bodas

Last updated: July 29, 2025

5 min read

Rajat Patidar was a part of the Gwalior Cheetahs in Madhya Pradesh T20 League 2025.

Domestic leagues in the country are on the rise. Drawing inspiration from the Indian Premier League (IPL), many states have curated leagues of their own. The Maharashtra Premier League (MPL), Pondicherry Cricket League and the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) are some of the notable leagues at the state level. However, one such league which has caught the eyes of spectators is the Madhya Pradesh Premier League. The tournament completed its second edition in June 2025. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) skipper is a part of the Gwalior Cheetahs, the runners-up for the recently concluded season.

With the preparation for the next IPL season slowly getting underway, franchises are on the lookout for scouting players in order to better the balance of their teams. In this scenario, there might be something brewing in the RCB camp. Skipper Patidar might have his eyes on two of the players from his team in the league back home. Mangesh Yadav and Rishabh Chauhan had an impressive season for the Cheetahs recently. Considering their skillset, the two players might soon find themselves on the cusp of a wonderful opportunity.

All About Mangesh Yadav and Rishabh Chauhan

Mangesh Yadav and Rishabh Chauhan are both all-rounders. Mangesh is a left-arm bowling all-rounder, while Rishabh is a right-arm batting all-rounder. Both these players have had an impressive season in the Madhya Pradesh League 2025, and have made a strong case in the eyes of the RCB skipper. If the franchise wants to invest in youth, these two players will be the right choice to go after, considering their skill set. Rajat Patidar will surely be in touch with the scouts at RCB in order to make a case for these two players.

Mangesh Yadav, aged 23, has impressed with his bowling skills. In six matches including the Final, Yadav has picked 14 wickets, the most in the tournament. His best performances have come against the Jabalpur Royal Lions, the Bundelkhand Bulls as well as the Bhopal Leopards. Yadav managed to grab a four-wicket haul in each of these three games, contributing to his team’s victories. In the rain curtailed game against the Leopards, he bagged four wickets in three overs, conceding just 18 runs.

And it doesn’t stop here. The youngster has shown that there is another dimension to his game. Mangesh Yadav has proven that he can hit the long ball as well, and knows a thing or two about batting. His notable contribution with the bat came against the Bulls in the fourth match of the Cheetahs’ season. He smacked an unbeaten 24 off just six deliveries to end on a high. And he doubled it up with a four wicket haul very soon in the second innings. In the Final, he scored a quickfire 16* off just four deliveries, again shifting the momentum in his team’s favour.

Rishabh Chauhan, on the other hand, wears his bat on his sleeve. The 25-year-old is an exciting prospect with the bat, and is considered to be destructive in the middle-order. He amassed 252 runs in a span of six matches in the league this season. He was fourth in the list of the most runs scored, just 26 runs behind the best. After a mere nine in the first game, Chauhan started to fire from the second game onwards, and didn’t stop. He went on to pile up two fifties in the next three games. If he keeps performing at this rate, something special might just be round the corner for the youngster.

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Why RCB Might Consider the Case

The IPL 2025 champions lifted the title after a wait of almost two decades. They defeated the Punjab Kings in the Final of the tournament to etch their names in glory. However, the franchise might want to look at some options to keep the side’s balance in check ahead of the next season. All-rounder Liam Livingstone hasn’t been as handy as the franchise would have wanted him to be, and they might think of a domestic option. That is where Rishabh Chauhan can come in and strike his case. He can bat deep, and can also hit the long ball, something that any franchise is in a dire need of. His exploits in the MPL 2025 back home would have instilled heaps on confidence in Patidar.

Mangesh Yadav can be a good backup option for Yash Dayal, or any frontline left-arm seamer that the franchise chooses to go with. Left-arm seamers add a lot of value to any side, due to their ability to create angles and also rough patches for the spinners to exploit later on. The 23-year-old has proven how lethal he can be with the bat as well. For RCB, adding an all-rounder like Mangesh will only add to the already deep batting line-up which the team possesses. The franchise played Krunal Pandya at eight, which indicates tremendous batting depth. Adding another pinch-hitter might just keep the opposition on their toes through.

Having seen them in the MPL, it will be easier for Patidar to judge and take a decision over the matter. But there is surely an option to look after these young prospects and provide them an opportunity to excel at the highest level. The IPL can also give them an opportunity to brush their shoulders against the best in the world. It will be interesting to see what approach the franchise takes in terms of signing young talent. This time, it would be under the watchful eyes of their own skipper.

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