By Ravi - Feb 13, 2025 06:25 PM
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) Throughout their history in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the franchise has tried different players in the leadership role. Although they have qualified for the playoffs several times, they came extremely close to winning the title in 2009, 2011 and 2016, reaching the final of the competition. So far, seven players have captained RCB in the IPL.
Rahul Dravid was the first captain of RCB in the IPL, leading the team in the 2008 season. Under his leadership, RCB won only four out of 14 games, and finished seventh in the points table. His tenure lasted only a year due to RCB's poor performance in that season.
Kevin Pietersen took over the reins of the franchise after Rahul Dravid in the 2009 season. His captaincy lasted just six matches, in which the team won two and lost four. Unfortunately, Pietersen's aggressive mindset did not yield any results for the franchise and his tenure was terminated mid-season.
Anil Kumble replaced Pietersen midway through the 2009 season and turned things around for RCB, leading them to the final, where they lost to the Deccan Chargers by six runs. He then led the team in the 2010 season, where they finished fourth in the league stage and lost to Mumbai Indians in the semi-finals. Overall, Kumble led the franchise in 35 games, winning 19 and losing 16
Former New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori became the fourth captain of RCB in the IPL. He led the team in the 2011 and 2012 seasons, winning 15 out of 28 games with a win-loss ratio of 1.153. RCB reached the final of the 2011 IPL season, where they lost to Chennai Super Kings by 58 runs. However, the 2012 season was not as successful as they failed to qualify for the playoffs, finishing fifth in the league stage.
Virat Kohli holds the record for leading RCB in the most IPL matches. He first captained the team in 2011 in the absence of Vettori and was appointed full-time captain in the 2013 season. Kohli led RCB in 143 matches, winning 66 and losing 70. Under his leadership, the franchise reached the final in the 2016 season but lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad by eight runs. He resigned as the captain of the franchise after the IPL 2021 season.
Shane Watson captained RCB in three matches during the 2017 IPL season in the absence of Virat Kohli, winning one and losing two. Watson had a poor season with RCB, scoring only 250 runs and taking 25 wickets in 24 matches across two seasons. Joining Chennai Super Kings in 2018 brought new life to his IPL career.
Faf du Plessis joined RCB in 2022 and was immediately made the captain of the franchise. He took over from Virat Kohli and led the team to Qualifier 2 in his first season. Faf led RCB from 2022 to 2024, winning 21 out of 42 games with a win-loss ratio of 1. Under his leadership, the team finished sixth in 2023 and made it to the playoffs in 2024, where they lost the Eliminator to Rajasthan Royals.
Rajat Patidar has been declared the eighth captain of RCB. He joined the franchise in 2021 and has so far scored 799 runs in 27 matches at an average of 34 and a strike rate of 159. Patidar has previously captained Madhya Pradesh in domestic cricket. He made his international debut in December 2023 in an ODI against South Africa in Paarl.
Also Read: ICC Announces Practice Matches and Schedule for Champions Trophy 2025
Give Your Feedback