Rajat Patidar is the new Royal Challengers’ skipper for this IPL season, replacing Faf du Plessis in the role.
Rajat Patidar has been named the new skipper for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru ahead of the 2025 IPL season.
Patidar takes the post from Faf du Plessis, who was not retained by the franchise post the 2024 season. Patidar’s appointment is a surprise given that Virat Kohli was the overwhelming favorite to take over the role.
31-year-old Patidar has been with the side since 2021 and has been a key member of this side. He will be the 8th captain of the franchise since its inception in 2008.
“There is a calmness to Rajat and that will stand Rajat in good stead, especially in the IPL,” Flower said. “He is inherently a quiet guy, but he cares about the people around him in the dressing room. As a leader, those qualities are important.”
“Both Virat and Rajat were credible captaincy auctions,” Bobat said. “We didn’t want to go into the auctions with a captaincy option in mind.
“We wanted an Indian captain predominantly because this is an Indian competition. Of course, Virat was an option. [But] Virat does not need a captaincy title to lead. Even last year with Faf as captain, we have seen that.”
Prior to last November’s massive auction, RCB kept three players, including 31-year-old Patidar. He has led MP in the 2024–25 seasons of the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy and the 20-over Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where they placed second, but this will be his maiden IPL captaincy assignment. His first full-time domestic cricket captaincy assignments were those competitions.
“I had a conversation with Mo last year,” Patidar said. “I told him before getting the captaincy of RCB, I want to captain a state team. When they told me about this that it could be between Virat and Rajat, I was happy. I can’t express my reaction.”