Image: Rajat Patidar has been named RCB’s captain for IPL, replacing Virat Kohli / © The News Medium
In the lead-up to IPL 2025, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) surprised fans by naming Rajat Patidar as their new captain. While many expected Virat Kohli to reclaim the role, RCB’s management, including batting coach Dinesh Karthik, cited Patidar’s leadership during Madhya Pradesh’s domestic campaign as a key factor. He captained the team to the final of the 2024 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), scoring 428 runs in 10 matches at a blistering strike rate of 186.08.
Patidar’s standout performances included a 66-run knockoff of 29 balls in the semifinal against Delhi and an 81-run innings from 40 balls in the final against Mumbai. His IPL career has been promising, with 799 runs in 27 matches, including 395 runs in the 2024 season. He also made his international debut for India in December 2023 against South Africa. Dinesh said:
The way he led Madhya Pradesh during the domestic season was fantastic. A lot of good things players had to say about the way he led the team. So that really encouraged us, and we wanted a new leader considering it’s a fresh group of players and it’s going to be a fresh cycle as well. These two things prompted us to make Rajat our captain.
RCB retained him for ₹11 crore ahead of the 2025 IPL auction, making him the eighth captain in the franchise’s history. With a fresh squad and a new leadership approach, RCB hopes Patidar’s aggressive batting and leadership will propel them to a successful IPL campaign. His appointment marks a shift towards nurturing young domestic talent for the franchise’s future.