In a shocking decision prior to the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, Rajat Patidar has been named the new captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). The move is a new dawn for the franchise, as the team prepares for the new season starting on March 21.
The news was broken at a special function in Bengaluru on Thursday, where senior RCB personnel, including team director Mo Bobat, head coach Andy Flower, and Patidar himself, met to confirm the thrilling development.
Patidar’s Journey with RCB
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Rajat Patidar joined Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2021 and emerged as one of the important players in the side almost immediately. Throughout his three seasons at RCB, the 31-year-old batter played 28 matches, scoring a combined total of 799 runs with an incredibly high strike rate of 158.85. This bat consistency has turned Patidar into a regular member of the team, and he has now been given the leadership position for IPL 2025.
The Decision Process: A Peaceful and Reflective Choice
The choice of Patidar was unexpected for many, given that Virat Kohli, RCB’s erstwhile skipper, had been the popular choice to return to the leadership role. Yet, the team management chose a different route, with Patidar being the chosen one. During the ceremony, Andy Flower talked about the strengths that make Patidar a capable captain.
“Rajat has a calmness to his game, which will be very useful in the IPL. He is not a chatty person by nature but is very caring towards the people around him in the dressing room. These are important leadership traits that will benefit him,” Flower said.
Team Management’s View of the Decision
RCB’s director of team Mo Bobat exposed that the captaincy choice wasn’t taken gently. Kohli was a viable contender, even though the franchise preferred to select an Indian skipper, based on the fact that the league is domestic in nature. Bobat attested that Virat Kohli was indeed a potential contender, but eventually, the team believed Rajat Patidar’s leadership prowess stood out.
“Indian captaincy was our priority primarily because this is an Indian tournament. Naturally, Virat was also in the equation, but Virat does not require a title of captaincy to command. Even last year with Faf [du Plessis] as captain, we could witness the influence of Virat within the team,” Bobat asserted.
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Bobat further added that internal discussions, including discussions with Dinesh Karthik (RCB batting coach) and Virat Kohli, showed that Patidar was eager to lead and had showcased impressive captaincy abilities in domestic cricket. This made him an interesting candidate for the position.
Patidar’s Domestic Captaincy Experience
Though this will be Rajat Patidar’s maiden role as an IPL captain, he is not new to the demands of captaincy. During the 2024–25 domestic season, Patidar led Madhya Pradesh (MP) in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy. MP finished runners-up in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy under Patidar’s captaincy, and Patidar’s captaincy was widely acclaimed.
Patidar’s leadership traits were also exhibited through his performances. He was the second-highest run-getter in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, with 428 runs in nine matches at a batting average of 61.14 and an impressive strike rate of 186.08. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Patidar amassed 226 runs at a batting average of 56.50 and a strike rate of 107.10. His batting contributions coupled with his captaincy potential made him a viable contender to be the captain of RCB.
The Way Forward for RCB
RCB has not yet won an IPL title, though they have reached the final three times, most recently in 2016. They have, however, appeared in the playoffs in four of the past five seasons, including the 2024 season, when they finished in the top four following a late twist in the league stage. With Patidar in charge, RCB will be hoping to ultimately win that long-awaited IPL title.
The appointment of Patidar also puts RCB in a special situation, as he will be the eighth captain of the franchise. Patidar’s appointment is made when other franchises in the IPL are still making arrangements for their leadership. Interestingly, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Delhi Capitals (DC) are the only two teams yet to confirm their captains for IPL 2025.
The IPL Landscape for 2025
With the upcoming season of IPL 2025, captaincies have changed hands in many teams. Former KKR captain Shreyas Iyer has shifted to Punjab Kings (PBKS), and Rishabh Pant, who earlier was with DC, will be the captain for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the current year. With all these captaincy shifts in teams, new captains such as Rajat Patidar will play a crucial role in determining the fate of the season.
In summary, the selection of Rajat Patidar as RCB captain is a daring and calculated move. With his composed nature, leadership background in domestic cricket, and consistent performances as a batter, Patidar will captain RCB with the expectation of winning their first-ever IPL title. The franchise and fans will be keenly observing as the 2025 season progresses.
ALSO READ: RCB To Name New Captain For IPL 2025 On Thursday
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