The only Indian Premier League (IPL) team that had not yet announced a captain for the 2025 season was Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). However, on February 13, the franchise officially named Rajat Patidar as their new skipper. He became the fourth Indian to lead the side after Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, and Virat Kohli.
While many fans hoped for Virat Kohli to reclaim the captaincy after Faf du Plessis was released ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, RCB stated during the announcement that they were looking for a long-term leader.
The newly appointed captain shared his thoughts on his leadership style, saying: "If I talk about my way of captaincy, I am aware of the matches but not very expressive. I believe my role is to support the players. We have a strong group of leaders, and their insights will help me grow along with the team."
On Virat Kohli, he added: "It is a great opportunity to learn from the best in cricket. His experience will be invaluable in my leadership role. I know him well, and his ideas will help me immensely."
Following the announcement, fans took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to welcome Patidar as RCB's new captain. Many pointed out his inspiring journey¡ªgoing unsold in the IPL 2022 auction before being brought in mid-season as a replacement. Since then, he has become a key player for the team.
One fan wrote: "Captain Rajat Patidar for RCB..!!!! Rajat Patidar went unsold in IPL 2022, joined as a replacement, played all seasons since, retained in IPL 2025, and now he is the captain!"
Another joked: "P+A+T+I+D+A+R = 7. The actual reason behind appointing Rajat Patidar as RCB skipper!"?
A third fan added: "Rajat Patidar takes the reins as the new skipper of RCB! Exciting times ahead as he leads the team with passion and determination. Let's support our new captain on this thrilling journey!"
?One also stated, "Rajat Patidar has been named as the new captain of RCB. Congratulations to him a big shoes to fill for him in the likes of Virat Kohli".
Over the years, seven players have captained RCB: Rahul Dravid, Kevin Pietersen, Daniel Vettori, Shane Watson, Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis, and Anil Kumble.Kohli captained RCB from 2013 to 2021 before stepping down from leadership roles in both the franchise and the national team. During his tenure, he led the team to the IPL final in 2016, setting a historic record by scoring 973 runs in a single season¡ªthe highest ever by a batter in IPL history.?
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