Rajat Patidar, the 31-year-old middle-order batter, has been appointed as the captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The franchise announced his appointment at an event held at the KSCA on Thursday (February 13).
Following the release of Faf du Plessis, who led the team in previous seasons, RCB was left without a captaincy candidate for the 2025 season. Patidar, who recently captained Madhya Pradesh to the final of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, will now become the eighth player to lead the franchise.
Reflecting on his appointment and the early discussions about his leadership role, Patidar shared:
“Last year, I think it was Mo [Bobat, RCB Director of Cricket] who first spoke to me about this. He asked if I was interested in captaincy, and I told him that before leading RCB, I’d like to gain experience as the captain of my state team. That gave me a hint that I could be considered for the role. Looking back at my IPL journey, I can truly appreciate how far I’ve come.”
Patidar made his IPL debut in 2021 and has been a key part of the franchise since then. Known for his ability to dominate both pace and spin, he has played 27 matches for RCB, scoring 799 runs at an impressive strike rate of 158.85. Ahead of the mega auction, RCB retained him for ₹11 crore, alongside Virat Kohli and Yash Dayal.
However, his journey hasn’t been without setbacks. He was released ahead of the 2022 season and went unsold at the auction. A mid-season injury to Luvinth Sisodia later opened the door for his return as a replacement player, and he made an immediate impact—scoring 333 runs in 8 innings, including a century. Since then, he has become an integral part of the squad.
Patidar’s appointment signals a fresh direction for RCB, a team previously led by Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis. Kohli first captained RCB in 2011, filling in for Daniel Vettori before taking over full-time in 2012. Under his leadership, the team reached the IPL playoffs in 2015 and finished as runners-up in 2016, with Kohli setting a record 973-run season. RCB also made the playoffs in 2020 and 2021. After Kohli stepped down in 2021, du Plessis took charge, leading RCB to the playoffs twice in the 2022-24 cycle. Kohli briefly stepped in as captain for three matches in 2023 when du Plessis was recovering from a rib injury.
Head coach Andy Flower praised Patidar’s leadership qualities, highlighting three key attributes:
“Firstly, there’s a calmness and simplicity about Rajat that I believe will serve him well as a leader, especially in the high-pressure environment of the IPL. We observed him closely during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and his decision-making stood out.”
“Secondly, he is inherently a quiet individual, but he deeply cares about his teammates and the people around him. That quality earns him instant respect and support from the dressing room, which is crucial for a leader.”
“Lastly, he has a stubbornness and steeliness about him. I’ve seen it firsthand—even in the nets when he doesn’t listen to me! But that determination is evident in the way he plays and takes on challenges. This mental toughness will be invaluable as he steps into the role of leading a major IPL franchise.”
With Patidar at the helm, RCB embarks on a new chapter, hoping to secure their elusive first IPL title.
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