Rajat Patidar, the 31-year-old middle-order batter, has been named the new captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The franchise made the announcement at an event held at KSCA on Thursday, February 13.
The next captain of RCB is…
Many greats of the game have carved a rich captaincy heritage for RCB, and it’s now time for this focused, fearless and fierce competitor to lead us to glory! This calmness under pressure and ability to take on challenges, as he’s shown us in the… pic.twitter.com/rPY2AdG1p5
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) February 13, 2025
Following the release of Faf du Plessis, who led the team in previous seasons, RCB was left without a designated captain for the upcoming season. Patidar, who guided Madhya Pradesh to the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy earlier this season, will now become the eighth player to lead RCB.
Having made his IPL debut in 2021, Patidar has been part of the RCB squad since then. Known for his ability to handle both pace and spin effectively, he has played 27 matches for the franchise, amassing 799 runs at a strike rate of 158.85. Ahead of the mega auction, RCB retained him alongside Virat Kohli and Yash Dayal for INR 11 Crore.
However, he was released from the squad before the 2022 season and went unsold at the auction. A mid-season injury to Luvinth Sisodia in 2022 gave Patidar a second chance as a replacement player. He grabbed the opportunity, scoring 333 runs in eight innings, including a century, securing his place in the squad.
Patidar’s appointment signals a new phase for RCB, which was previously led by Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis. Kohli initially took over as captain in May 2011, filling in for Daniel Vettori for three matches before assuming full-time leadership in 2012. Under Kohli’s captaincy, RCB reached the playoffs in 2015 and finished as runners-up in 2016, a season where he amassed a record 973 runs. The team also made it to the playoffs in 2020 and 2021.
After Kohli stepped down, du Plessis took charge, leading RCB to playoff appearances in two seasons from 2022 to 2024. Kohli briefly returned as captain for three matches in 2023 when du Plessis, recovering from a rib injury, played only as an Impact Player.
King Kohli’s Wishes for Patidar:
Sharing best wishes, Virat Kohli voiced support on Rajat Patidar’s selection as RCB’s next captain for IPL 2025. Praising his outstanding contributions for the team and admiring his leadership capabilities, he said..“Myself and the other team members will be right behind you, Rajat”: Virat Kohli “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.”
𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐊𝐨𝐡𝐥𝐢 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬! 💌
“Myself and the other team members will be right behind you, Rajat”: Virat Kohli
“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.”… pic.twitter.com/dgjDLm8ZCN
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) February 13, 2025
