RCB appoint Rajat Patidar as new captain ahead of IPL 2025

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Thursday announced rising Indian batter Rajat Patidar as their new captain for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season.

While former captain Virat Kohli was initially considered to take over again, he declined the opportunity following the non-retention of Faf du Plessis in the IPL mega auction.

The franchise held a press conference to put an end to the ongoing discussions regarding the new leader of the side. Kohli had captained RCB from 2011 to 2023, though the team never clinched an IPL title under his leadership.

Nevertheless, 2016 was a memorable year, with RCB reaching the final, only for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to deny them IPL glory.

Rajat Patidar, a dynamic and promising batter, has garnered leadership experience through his captaincy of Madhya Pradesh in domestic tournaments like the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) and the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Under his leadership, MP reached the final of the SMAT, showcasing his ability to lead effectively. With no clear leadership option picked in the IPL auction, Patidar was seen as the ideal candidate to succeed du Plessis and take charge of the RCB squad.

During the press conference, Mo Bobat, RCB's team director, explained why Kohli was not offered another stint as captain. Bobat acknowledged Kohli as the "natural leader" of the team and stated that he was certainly considered for the role but emphasized that Kohli's leadership goes beyond the captaincy title.

"Virat doesn't need the captaincy title to lead the team; he was of course an option for captaincy. He sets the tone right. We had a discussion with Virat in Ahmedabad. He is happy for Rajat," Bobat said during the press conference.

Following the announcement, Virat Kohli took to social media to congratulate Patidar and offer his support. He praised Patidar for his dedication and hard work with RCB, urging fans to rally behind the new captain.

"I request all the fans to support Rajat Patidar. He has earned this position. Support Rajat and the RCB team as a family," Kohli posted.

"Rajat, I want to congratulate you on the way you have grown in this franchise, and you have made a place in the hearts of RCB fans all over India. This is very well deserved, and I tell you that myself and the other team members will be right behind you. Show him absolute support, get right behind him, he will always do what's best for the team, best for the franchise," Kohli said on the RCB podcast.

The top-order batter also spoke about his decision to step back from captaincy, stating, "I’m not someone who holds onto things more than I should. Even if I know I can do a lot more, if I’m not going to enjoy the process, I’m not going to do it. I wanted some space, and I wanted to manage my workload, and the story ends there," the former captain concluded.

RCB's full squad for IPL 2025: Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar (C), Yash Dayal, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Dar, Suyash Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Nuwan Thushara, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethell, Devdutt Padikkal, Swastik Chhikara, Lungi Ngidi, Abhinandan Singh, and Mohit Rathee.