Rajat Patidar named RCB captain for IPL 2025

Rajat Patidar takes over as RCB captain for IPL 2025 from Faf du Plessis who led the side across three seasons between 2022-24 where Royal Challengers Bengaluru made it to the IPL Playoffs twice.

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Patidar Named RCB Captain

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have named India and Madhya Pradesh batter Rajat Patidar as the captain of the franchise for the IPL 2025 season on Thursday. Patidar takes over from Faf du Plessis who led the side across three seasons between 2022-24 where the team made it to the IPL Playoffs twice. The 31-year-old Indore-born batter made a dramatic re-entry into the IPL mid-way through the 2022 season as a replacement player for Luvnith Sisodia in RCB after having previously played four games in 2021 for the franchise but not retained later that year.

In eight games in 2022, Patidar aggregated 333 runs including an unbeaten 112 off 54 balls in the IPL Eliminator win against Lucknow Super Giants. Patidar later missed the 2023 season due to an Achilles heel injury, but the franchise retained him for another season. In 2024, Patidar was at his destructive best for RCB, smashing 33 sixes while amassing 395 runs in 15 matches.

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Ahead of the IPL 2025 Mega Auction in November 2024, RCB retained Patidar for Rs 11 crore alongside former skipper Virat Kohli (Rs 21 crore) and Yash Dayal (Rs 5 crore). Patidar becomes RCB’s eighth captain since the IPL’s inception in 2008, following Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, Kevin Pietersen, Daniel Vettori, Kohli, Shane Watson, and du Plessis.

Patidar’s Recent Form and Domestic Performance

Patidar recently Madhya Pradesh to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024-25 final, losing to eventual champions Mumbai. Smashing 27 maximums, Patidar racked up 428 runs in nine outings with five fifties. Patidar’s only ODI and three Test appearances came between December 2023 and February 2024.

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