RCB New Captain Announced: Rajat Patidar to Lead in IPL 2025

The wait is finally over! Rajat Patidar is officially the new captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru for IPL 2025. After teasing fans with a series of clues on social media, RCB has put all speculation to rest. With the tournament kicking off on March 21, the Madhya Pradesh skipper is all set to lead the team into an exciting new season!

Rajat Patidar's journey with RCB started during IPL 2022 when he signed as a replacement for an injured Luvnith Sisodia for a base price of ₹20 lakh. In spite of being absent for the entire 2023 season after sustaining an injury, the Madhya Pradesh opener showed his reliability, scoring 333 runs in 2022 and a strong 395 runs in 2024.

Virat Kohli Backs Patidar’s Leadership

RCB officially announced Patidar as captain in a press conference, where head coach Andy Flower and director Mo Bobat made their comments on the big announcement. Virat Kohli also praised the new skipper, ensuring that Patidar has the complete support of his teammates as he takes up this leadership role.

"I've seen Rajat evolve in the last couple of years as a player. He's got the chance to play for India. His game has improved many levels in the last couple of years. The way he has led his state team as well, and the responsibility that he's taken, and he's shown everyone that he has what it takes to lead this amazing franchise," said Kohli.

"Congrats to you on being the new RCB captain and officially passing over the baton over to you. It's a great honour captaining any IPL team, but it's really special being captain of RCB as it's truly a great fan base, and you'll see the owners will be there to support you all the way."

"Also, the coaching staff is there with their experience to guide you to make sure that you find your feet and have a great time as captain."

"And lastly, I think you have a great leadership group that will be there with you to support you all the way. So make sure you lean on them because they will help you when times get tough. But more importantly, keep whacking the ball for 6 because I think that is your biggest strength. All the best for your captaincy. I think you'll do a great job. I'll see you out there," said Du Plessis.

The race for RCB's captaincy ahead of IPL 2025 featured three strong contenders Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, and Krunal Pandya. While Kohli was actively involved in discussions to fill the leadership gap, reports suggested he was reluctant to take up the role again. Meanwhile, opinions from senior players and the RCB camp pushed Patidar to the front running for the captaincy. New recruit Krunal Pandya was also in the fray, with the management impressed with his leadership quality as Baroda skipper. According to TOI report, RCB saw him as a strong contender for the job.

RCB has been searching for a new captain since they parted ways with Faf du Plessis. The South African replaced Kohli in 2022 but was let go before the IPL 2025 mega auction. RCB seems to have found their man in Rajat Patidar.

The Rise of a Star: Journey from Unsold to RCB Captain

IPL 2021: Bought by RCB in the auction; played 4 matches and scored 71 runs.

IPL 2022: Released by RCB and went unsold in the auction.

IPL 2022 (Mid-Season): Rejoined RCB as an injury replacement for Luvnith Sisodia; made history with an unbeaten 112 off 54 balls in the Eliminator against Lucknow Super Giants, becoming the first uncapped player to score a century in IPL playoffs.

IPL 2023: Retained by RCB but missed the entire season due to an Achilles heel injury.

IPL 2024: Made a strong comeback, playing 15 matches and scoring 395 runs at a strike rate of 177.13.

IPL 2025: Retained by RCB for ₹11 crore and appointed as team captain.

RCB’s Captaincy Timeline: From Dravid to Patidar