Rajat Patidar has been appointed as RCB captain for IPL 2025.
New RCB Captain & New Era Begins
Rajat Patidar has been named the captain of RCB for IPL 2025. With Virat Kohli’s guidance, he aims to lead Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their maiden IPL title.
Patidar takes over from Faf du Plessis, who led RCB for three seasons (2022-24), guiding the team to two IPL Playoff appearances. The 31-year-old Madhya Pradesh batter now begins a new IPL chapter as RCB’s captain.
Rajat Patidar IPL Journey
IPL 2021: He first joined RCB in IPL 2021, playing four matches and scoring 71 runs.
Dramatic IPL Story: Patidar went unsold in the IPL 2022 mega auction but joined RCB mid-season as a replacement for the injured Luvnith Sisodia, who was bought for ₹20 lakh. He then made a stunning impact, scoring 333 runs, including a memorable 112* in the Eliminator against LSG.
Patidar missed the IPL 2023 season due to injury but made a stunning comeback in IPL 2024, scoring 395 runs at a remarkable strike rate of 177.13.
Now, in IPL 2025, Rajat Patidar steps up as the captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, leading a new era for the franchise.
Why is Virat Kohli not the captain of RCB for IPL 2025?
Virat Kohli is not the captain of RCB for IPL 2025 because he reportedly conveyed to the management that he does not wish to take up the leadership role again. Despite discussions during the leadership vacuum, Kohli indicated his preference to continue as a player rather than leading the team.
RCB’s think tank spent weeks deliberating on this decision, and their auction strategy seemed to have been built around Kohli. However, with Kohli not interested in captaincy, they have chosen Rajat Patidar as the new skipper for IPL 2025.
