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RCB Batting Coach Explains Why Rajat Patidar Was Chosen As Captain For IPL 2025

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Rajat Patidar has been named as the RCB captain [Source: @_BeingShahbaaz/X.com]Rajat Patidar has been named as the RCB captain [Source: @_BeingShahbaaz/X.com]

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The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have officially announced their new captain for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season—Rajat Patidar. While some fans were hoping to see Virat Kohli take on the leadership role again, the team management surprised many by picking Patidar.

Why Did RCB Choose Rajat Patidar as Captain?

Rajat Patidar, a right-handed batter from Madhya Pradesh, has been with RCB since making his IPL debut in 2021. The franchise retained him for ₹11 crore ahead of the mega auction, making him the eighth player to captain RCB in IPL history.

The decision left many fans puzzled, as Kohli has previously led the team and remains one of the biggest names in Indian cricket. However, RCB’s batting coach and mentor, Dinesh Karthik, explained the reasons behind this decision during an episode of Cricbuzz’s "Hey CB with DK" show.

According to Karthik, Patidar showed excellent leadership skills while captaining Madhya Pradesh in domestic cricket. 

“The way he led Madhya Pradesh during the domestic season was fantastic. A lot of good things players had to say about the way he led the team. So that really encouraged us, and we wanted a new leader considering it’s a fresh group of players and it’s going to be a fresh cycle as well. These two things prompted us to make Rajat our captain," Karthik said.

Rajat Patidar’s Impressive Performance In Domestic Cricket

Patidar led Madhya Pradesh to the final of the 2024 SMAT, where they finished as runners-up. His personal performance was outstanding—he scored 428 runs in 10 matches at a remarkable strike rate of 186.08.

In the semifinal against Delhi, he smashed 66 runs off 29 balls. In the final against Mumbai, he played another explosive knock, scoring 81 runs from just 40 balls. Patidar made his international debut for India in December 2023 in an ODI match against South Africa. In his IPL career so far, he has played 27 matches, scoring 799 runs. Last season, he scored 395 runs in 15 matches, though he missed the 2023 IPL due to injury.

With his strong batting skills and proven leadership in domestic cricket, RCB’s management believes Patidar is the right choice to lead the team in IPL 2025.