"Can we make the change?" - Former player recalls interesting last minute change from 2016 season after LSG vs RCB IPL 2025 match
Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) player Mandeep Singh recalled an interesting incident from the 2016 season after the conclusion of the final league stage match of the IPL 2025 season between RCB and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). The two teams played on Tuesday, May 27, at the Ekana Stadium.
During the toss, RCB came up with the wrong team sheet, including Rajat Patidar in the XI instead of Suyash Sharma. The umpires and officials cannot allow for a change unless the opposition captain agrees to the modification being made. Rishabh Pant, LSG skipper, showed sportsmanship and let the opposition make the change.
After the game, Mandeep Singh recalled a similar incident that had happened during the 2016 season when RCB played Gujarat Lions (GL). The former batter revealed how GL captain Suresh Raina had allowed for a last-minute change.
"Aise hi 2016 mai, mai khel raha tha aur during the toss mai fielding kar raha tha aur mai catch lene jata hu aur mujhe ball lag jathi hai aur web kat jatha hai jiske baad mujhe panch stitch lagte hai. Toss abhi hua tha aur Virat paaji ko pata lagta hai toh woh jathe hai Raina Paaji ke paas. Gujarat Lions ke captain woh the aur bolte hai ki Mandy ko chot lag gayi hai abhi hum kya change karde abhi toh 20-25 minute pade hai match shuru hone mai. Obviously Raina paaji allow kar dete hai. Raina paaji well done for showing great sportsmanspirit aur phir match kehlte hai KL Rahul," he recalled.
("Similarly in 2016, I was playing and during the toss I was fielding and I went to take a catch and the ball hit me and cut my web after which I got five stitches. The toss had just taken place and Virat got to know about it. He went to Raina, who was the captain of Gujarat Lions and asked him Mandy is unjured, 'can we make the change' as there are still 20-25 minutes left for the match to start. Obviously Raina allowed it. Raina well done for showing great sportsmanspirit and then KL Rahul played the game.")
Mandeep Singh reveals how KL Rahul had a breakout season with RCB in 2016
Mandeep Singh, in the same story, added how KL Rahul played the game after Raina allowed the change. He revealed how Rahul scored a half-century and RCB went on to win the game.
"Isse pehle won teen match khel chuke the aur kuch khas unhone kiya nahi tha. Lekin uss match mai woh banate hai pachas, tagda, aur hum RCB match jeet jathe hai aur uss season mai hum final bhi khelte hai. Woh season KL Rahul banate hai five fifty-plus scores aur banta hai unka breakout year aur woh eventually Indian team mai bhi saare format khelte hai," he said.
("Before this KL Rahul had played three matches and he had not dome anythinhg great. But in that game he made a solid fifty and we RCB won the game and played the final as well that season. That season KL Rahul made five fifty-plus scores and it became his breakout year as he eventually played for the Indian team in all formats.")
Rahul has played 58 Tests, 85 ODIs, and 72 T20Is for India so far in his international career.