Rajat Patidar Named New Captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore for IPL 2025 Season

Rajat Patidar has been appointed as the new captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for the 2025 IPL season, following the departure of Faf du Plessis. The announcement was made by the franchise during an event on Thursday. The 31-year-old middle-order batter replaces Faf du Plessis, who had captained the team previously.

After parting ways with Faf du Plessis, RCB was in search of a new captain, and Rajat Patidar was chosen due to his leadership qualities. Patidar had previously captained Madhya Pradesh in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final, impressing with his leadership skills, which led to his appointment.

Patidar made his IPL debut in 2021 and has scored 799 runs in 27 matches at a strike rate of 158.85. RCB retained him for ₹11 crore. Although he went unsold at the 2022 auction, he was given an opportunity due to injuries in the team, and he grabbed it with both hands, becoming a key player for RCB.

RCB's head coach, Andy Flower, commented, "Patidar has a certain composure and confidence that will serve him well as a captain in a competitive tournament like the IPL."

Patidar now becomes the eighth captain of RCB, following in the footsteps of Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis. With this new responsibility, he is ready to guide the team in a new direction.