By Mehul - Feb 13, 2025 01:01 AM
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) is set to unveil their new captain for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 on February 13. The much-anticipated announcement will be aired live on Star Sports Network at 11:30 AM IST. With Virat Kohli unlikely to reclaim the leadership role, fans are eagerly waiting to see who will take charge of the team.
Despite being RCB’s most experienced player, Kohli has reportedly opted out of captaincy discussions. Sources indicate that during talks with the franchise management, he conveyed his desire to focus entirely on his batting and play a supportive role under the new leadership.
Rajat Patidar has emerged as a frontrunner for RCB's captaincy in IPL 2025. The 30-year-old batter demonstrated his leadership skills by leading Madhya Pradesh to the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024, where they narrowly missed out on the title. His composed approach and strong domestic performances have put him in contention for the role.
Krunal Pandya is another strong candidate under consideration. Having captained Baroda and gained valuable leadership experience with Lucknow Super Giants, Krunal is highly respected by RCB’s management. His strategic mindset and ability to handle pressure situations have kept him on the franchise’s radar for a leadership role.
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Rajat Patidar is another strong contender for RCB’s captaincy alongside Virat Kohli. He has prior leadership experience in domestic cricket, having captained Madhya Pradesh to the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy 2024. Despite their five-wicket loss to Mumbai in the final, Patidar showcased his brilliance with an unbeaten 81 off 40 balls, smashing six fours and six sixes.
Patidar finished as the tournament’s third-highest run-scorer, amassing 428 runs in 10 matches at a stunning strike rate of 186.08 and an average of 61.14. For RCB, he has accumulated 799 runs in 27 games, including a career-best 112 against Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL 2022 Eliminator at Eden Gardens. RCB, despite a strong comeback last season with a seven-game winning streak to reach the playoffs, fell short again, losing to Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator. Like Punjab Kings, RCB remains one of the few original IPL franchises yet to claim a title.
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Virat Kohli (C): RCB’s backbone, a world-class batter who can anchor or accelerate when needed.
Devdutt Padikkal: A talented left-hander known for his fluent stroke play and consistency.
Liam Livingstone: A destructive batter who can change the game with his power-hitting and part-time spin.
Phil Salt (WK): A dynamic wicketkeeper-batsman who provides aggressive intent in the middle overs.
Tim David: A proven finisher with the ability to clear boundaries under pressure.
Krunal Pandya: A dependable all-rounder offering control with the ball and quick runs down the order.
Romario Shepherd: A power-hitting all-rounder with effective death bowling skills.
Josh Hazlewood: RCB’s pace spearhead, known for his accuracy and ability to strike early.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar: A swing specialist with control over both powerplay and death overs.
Suyash Sharma: A young leg-spinner with variations to trouble batters.
Nuwan Thushara: A slingy pacer effective in the death overs with yorkers and slower balls.
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