Neither Faf du Plessis Nor Virat Kohli but this player named RCB captain for IPL 2025

Bangalore(The Uttam Hindu): Rajat Patidar has been appointed as the captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. The announcement was made on Thursday by Director of Cricket Mo Bobat and head coach Andy Flower. Faf du Plessis, who had captained the team for the past three seasons, was let go by the franchise, prompting RCB's search for a new leader. While there were speculations about Virat Kohli reclaiming the captaincy, the management chose to place their trust in Patidar instead. Speaking about his new leadership role, Patidar said, "I believe it's a fantastic opportunity to learn from one of the best in the game. His experience will be invaluable in my leadership journey. Having played alongside him in many partnerships, I’m well-acquainted with his ideas and they will definitely benefit me as I lead the team."

Patidar made his international debut for India last year during the home series against England. However, after scoring 32, 9, 5, 17, and two ducks, he was dropped from the squad. His true strength lies in T20 cricket, and he has been in exceptional form lately. Recently, he captained Madhya Pradesh to the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, though they lost to Mumbai, led by Shreyas Iyer. A key figure at RCB, Patidar first joined the franchise in IPL 2021, playing just four matches and scoring 71 runs. In 2022, he rejoined as a replacement for the injured Luvnith Sisodia for INR 20 lakh and made a massive impact, scoring 333 runs, including an unbeaten 112 in the Eliminator against Lucknow Super Giants at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Patidar missed the 2023 season due to injury but returned in 2024, amassing 395 runs with an average of 30.38 and a strike rate of 177.13. He is one of the three players retained by RCB for the 2025 season.