Virat Kohli Not Even In Top 2; Ranking RCB Captains From Best To Worst

Anurag Dasgupta

Virat Kohli out of top 2 in rankings [Source: @imkevin149/x.com] Virat Kohli out of top 2 in rankings [Source: @imkevin149/x.com]

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) is one of the most popular franchises in the IPL. They have a diverse fan base and the players have become household names, courtesy of their brilliant performances over the years.

However, despite their rich history, the team is yet to taste success in IPL and are yet to become the champions. Over the years, they have had some tactically brilliant leaders, but even they haven't been able to help the Bengaluru based side win the trophy.

In this piece, we will rank their 5 best captains of all-time, with a surprising position for their G.O.A.T, Virat Kohli.

1) Anil Kumble

Perhaps the most underrated leader of Indian cricket and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Anil Kumble was a silent leader and has done wonders for the team. In the first season, Rahul Dravid was the captain and the team finished at the second last position.

In the next season, Anil Kumble took over a broken team and worked wonders with it. He made them believe in themselves and helped the side reached the finals. In the finale, Kumble produced an inspiring performance, but the team lost against the Deccan Chargers. In 35 matches, Kumble won 19 and lost 16.

2) Faf du Plessis

Just like Kumble, Faf took over a team which was low in morale after Virat Kohli stepped down from the post. The team needed an inspirational leader and Faf was appointed the captain and it worked wonders for them. The side reached two playoffs in three seasons and produced moment of magic which was never seen before.

Plus, the captaincy never affected his batting as the South African great was one of the most prolific batter for the Royal Challengers. In 42 matches, Faf won 21 and lost equal number of games.

3) Virat Kohli

The captain with the most wins for the Royal Challengers, Kohli has been the heartbeat of this RCB side. He has been associated with the team since the league's inception and was appointed the captain in 2013. However, in his tenure, RCB only reached the finals in 2016, and also witnessed considerable lows from 2017-19.

During his era, many individuals came up and became popular, but as a collective unit, the side failed to achieve anything significant. In 143 matches as the captain, RCB won 66 matches and lost 70 games, and Kohli had a win percentage of 46.15.

4) Daniel Vettori

After Kumble stepped down, Kiwi legend, Daniel Vettori was made the captain of the side before Kohli took over.

The New Zealand legend stablised the team and build a strong foundation for the next captain to take over. However, just like Kohli, his team reached the finals in 2011, but failed to win the title. In 28 matches, Vettori won 15 and lost 13 games.

5) Shane Watson

During the 2017 season, Kohli missed a few games due to injury and Watson took over the charge. However, the reign was rather unforgettable as in 3 matches, he lost 2 matches and had a win percentage of 33.33

6) Kevin Pietersen

After Dravid resigned, English star, Kevin Pietersen took over the mantle and was rather unsuccessful in his mission.

He captained in 6 matches and won just 2 matches, losing 4 and having a win percentage of 33.33.

7) Rahul Dravid

The inaugural season for RCB was a disaster and it was under the leadership of Dravid that the team looked the weakest. In 14 matches, Dravid won just 4 matches and lost a whopping 10 and finished with a win percentage of 28.57.