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RCB Wanted Bhuvi More Than Siraj; Official Explains Franchise’s Strategy For IPL 2025

Rajgeeta Yadav

Mohammed Siraj [Source: @Oam_16/X.com]Mohammed Siraj [Source: @Oam_16/X.com]

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) made some bold decisions ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, letting go of several star players, including fast bowler Mohammed Siraj, captain Faf du Plessis and all-rounder Glenn Maxwell. 

This move surprised many fans, especially because Siraj had been a key part of RCB’s bowling attack since 2017.

Mo Bobat Opens Up On Not Retaining Mohammed Siraj 

RCB’s Director of Cricket, Mo Bobat, has now explained why the franchise chose not to retain Siraj. In a conversation with Cricbuzz, he revealed that the team’s primary goal was to sign veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar and holding on to Siraj could have limited their chances of getting him.

“We were keen to try and get Bhuvneshwar Kumar and we felt like hanging on to Mohammed Siraj would make it difficult to get Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar Kumar),” Bobat said.

Notably, RCB eventually bought Bhuvneshwar Kumar at the auction for ₹10.75 crore. The decision turned out to be a masterstroke as Bhuvneshwar played a vital role in RCB’s historic IPL 2025 campaign. He scalped 17 wickets in 14 matches and helped the franchise win its first-ever IPL title.

On the other hand, Siraj joined Gujarat Titans for ₹12.25 crore. The Hyderabad pacer had a strong season too, picking up 16 wickets in 15 matches, with best figures of 4/17. While RCB fans missed seeing him in red, the franchise’s strategy clearly worked.

Another big change was in leadership. RCB released Faf du Plessis, who was picked up by Delhi Capitals and appointed Rajat Patidar as their new captain. According to Bobat, Virat Kohli fully supported the move and assured the team he would help Patidar adjust to the captaincy role.

"We spoke with Virat and we talked about the fact that Rajat was going to be new to captaincy. He was going to need all of our help. That's the reality. And Virat said, 'Look, 100%, I'm there to help. It's in all of our interests if Rajat succeeds. Let's give this a go.' So, it's brilliant to have Virat's blessing and his approval because he's an important person and player in our environment," Bobat said.

Under Patidar’s leadership, and with strong contributions from key players like Bhuvneshwar Kumar, RCB finally ended their 18-year wait for an IPL trophy by defeating Punjab Kings in the final at Ahmedabad on June 3.