Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) has officially named Rajat Patidar as the captain for the upcoming IPL 2025 season, set to begin on March 21. Patidar, who was retained by RCB before last year’s mega auction, has prior leadership experience, having captained Madhya Pradesh in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (T20) and Vijay Hazare Trophy (ODI).
The 31-year-old, who joined RCB in 2022, led Madhya Pradesh to the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last year, although they lost to Mumbai by five wickets. Patidar was also the second-highest run-scorer in the domestic T20 tournament, with 428 runs from 10 matches at an average of 61 and a striking rate of 186.08, behind only Ajinkya Rahane.
Before the announcement, there had been speculation about Virat Kohli possibly returning as the captain. Kohli had led RCB from 2013 to 2021 and holds a fine record, though he was unable to secure an IPL title for the franchise. Kohli, who captained the team in 143 matches, the second-longest stint in IPL history after MS Dhoni, congratulated Patidar on his appointment.
“Myself and the other team members will be right behind you, Rajat,” Kohli said in a video shared by the franchise. “The way you have grown in this franchise and the way you have performed, you’ve made a place in the hearts of all RCB fans. This is very well deserved,” he added.
