As Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) prepares for IPL 2025, Virat Kohli has shown full support for the team’s new captain, Rajat Patidar. Kohli, who led RCB for over a decade and remains a key figure for the team, believes Patidar has all the qualities needed to lead the team for a long time.
At RCB's Unbox event on Monday, Kohli encouraged the fans to back their new captain. "This guy is going to lead you for a long time. He’s going to do a great job. He has everything needed to succeed," said Kohli, speaking to RCB's passionate supporters.
Patidar takes over as captain after Faf du Plessis moved to Delhi Capitals. Although Kohli was considered to take the captaincy again, he decided to step aside and place his trust in Patidar. The Madhya Pradesh batter has been a key player for RCB in recent seasons and now faces the challenge of leading the team to its first IPL title.
RCB fans are hopeful that this could be the year they break their trophy drought, and Kohli shares that excitement. "It feels amazing to be back. The excitement is the same as every other season. I’ve been with RCB for 18 years, and I absolutely love this team. We have an amazing squad this year with a lot of talent. Personally, I’m very excited for this season," he said. This IPL will be extra special for Kohli as it’s his first season since retiring from T20 internationals. He’ll aim to continue his strong form from IPL 2024, where he finished as the tournament's top scorer with 741 runs in 15 matches, averaging 61.75.
Standing alongside Kohli, Patidar admitted that the captaincy is a big responsibility but is excited to take on the challenge. "Legends like Virat bhai, AB de Villiers, and Chris Gayle have played for RCB. I grew up watching them. From the start, I’ve loved the franchise a lot. I’m really happy to now lead one of the biggest teams in T20 cricket," said the new RCB captain.
RCB's IPL 2025 journey begins on March 22 when they face the defending champions, Kolkata Knight Riders, at Eden Gardens. With a strong squad and Kohli’s full support for Patidar, fans are hoping this season will finally bring the long-awaited IPL title to Bengaluru.
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