Rajat Patidar named RCB captain ahead of IPL 2025
Rajat Patidar, the 31-year-old middle-order batter, has been named the new captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for the upcoming IPL season. The franchise made the announcement during an event at the KSCA on Thursday, February 13.
With Faf du Plessis no longer in the squad after leading the team in previous seasons, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) were left without a captain for the 2025 IPL season. Rajat Patidar, who recently guided Madhya Pradesh to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final, has now been appointed as RCB’s new captain, making him the eighth player to lead the franchise.
Reflecting on his captaincy appointment and how the discussions began, Rajat Patidar shared, “Last year, I had a conversation with Mo [Bobat, RCB’s director of cricket] about this. He asked me if I was interested in captaincy. I told him that before leading RCB, I’d like to gain experience by captaining my state team. That’s when I got a hint that I might get the opportunity. Looking back now, I feel happy about how my journey has shaped up—from where I started my IPL career to where I am today.”
Rajat Patidar made his IPL debut in 2021 and has been with Royal Challengers Bengaluru ever since. Known for his ability to handle both pace and spin effortlessly, he has played 27 matches for the franchise, scoring 799 runs at an impressive strike rate of 158.85. Ahead of the mega auction, RCB retained him alongside Virat Kohli and Yash Dayal, securing his services for ₹11 crore.