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Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have appointed Rajat Patidar as their new captain for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. This decision comes after the franchise released Faf du Plessis and did not sign any experienced leader in the mega auction last November.
It was speculated that the captaincy role would go to either Virat Kohli or Patidar, with Kohli having previously led RCB from 2013 to 2021, including a runner-up finish in 2016. However, RCB opted for a fresh start under Patidar, who led Madhya Pradesh to the final of the 2024-25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), India’s premier domestic T20 tournament.
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Harbhajan Singh Warns Patidar About the Challenge of IPL Captaincy
As Patidar gears up for his new role, former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has warned that leading an IPL franchise is even tougher than captaining the national team.
Harbhajan, who captained Mumbai Indians in some matches during his IPL career, believes that managing an IPL team comes with unique challenges that Patidar might find difficult.
“For someone like Patidar, it will be a huge challenge. To captain a big team like that, it’s not going to be easy to take decisions—who will play, who will bowl at what point. He hasn’t led a side before at this level. People think leading India is the most difficult thing, but I think it’s even tougher leading a franchise because I have done it,” Harbhajan told ESPNCricinfo.
He further emphasized the pressure of expectations, given that RCB has never won an IPL title despite having superstars like Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, and Glenn Maxwell over the years.
“Patidar has the pressure of expectations because they haven’t won a single season. You have to live up to it and play your own game, too. Everything revolves around Virat Kohli there. He also has to ensure that he has a good season. RCB have appointed Patidar for five seasons, but if this one doesn’t go well, we will see where he will stand,” he added.
Rajat Patidar’s RCB Journey So Far
Patidar has been a crucial player for RCB, scoring 799 runs in 27 matches at a strike rate of 158.85. Known for his ability to dominate both pace and spin, he played a pivotal role in RCB’s previous campaigns, including a memorable century in IPL 2022 playoffs.
He was one of the three retained players ahead of IPL 2025, along with Virat Kohli and Yash Dayal, and was secured for INR 11 crore.
RCB’s IPL 2025 Campaign Begins Against KKR
RCB will kick off their IPL 2025 journey on March 22 against the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens.
All eyes will be on Rajat Patidar as he takes charge of one of the most popular yet underachieving franchises in IPL history. Will he be able to handle the pressure and lead RCB to their maiden title, or will Harbhajan Singh’s warning prove to be prophetic? Only time will tell.
