The former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captains, Virat Kohli, Daniel Vettori, Anil Kumble, and Kevin Pietersen have all led the team, but failed to get hold of the coveted IPL trophy. For 17 IPL seasons, the RCB trophy cabinet has remained empty, a frustrating void for the franchise that boasted some of the most formidable batting lineups in the tournament’s history.
However, the fortunes of the RCB turned when the team management decided to hand over captaincy duties to Rajat Patidar, succeeding Faf du Plessis, who moved to Delhi Capitals ahead of the IPL 2025. Despite having captaincy experience only in domestic cricket, the RCB, endorsed by Virat Kohli, appointed Patidar to lead the team in the IPL.
Rajat Patidar’s appointment as RCB’s captain raised several eyebrows, as he was handed the reins of a star-studded line-up despite his lack of leadership experience at the top-tier T20 cricket, forcing him to immediately justify the management’s bold gamble.