The announcement of team captains for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 has been ongoing, with most teams having already declared their captains. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) is set to follow suit, with the franchise slated to announce its captain on Thursday, 13 February, at 11:30 am. This announcement comes after Faf du Plessis, the previous captain, moved to Delhi Capitals. As a result, RCB is in need of a new leader to helm the team.
The question of who will take on the captaincy role has sparked speculation, with two prominent candidates emerging. One possibility is Virat Kohli, who previously captained the team from 2013 to 2021. During his tenure, Kohli led RCB in 143 matches, securing 66 wins. As captain, he also had a notable personal performance, scoring a total of 4994 runs, including 5 centuries and 37 half-centuries.
Another contender for the captaincy is Rajat Patidar, who has gained valuable experience leading teams in domestic cricket. Under his captaincy, Madhya Pradesh was the runner-up in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in 2024. Patidar’s individual performance in the tournament was impressive, with 428 runs scored in 10 matches at an average of 61.14. He also had a successful IPL 2024 season, scoring 395 runs in 15 matches, including five half-centuries. His performance earned him a retention for IPL 2025 for a significant amount of Rs 11 crore.
The decision to appoint a new captain for RCB is anticipated, and the announcement on Thursday is expected to bring clarity on who will lead the team in IPL 2025. With both Kohli and Patidar having strong credentials, the choice of captain will be closely watched by fans and critics alike.