Speculations are rife that Virat Kohli will return as Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) captain from the 2025 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
On the deadline day (October 31), the Bengaluru-based franchise retained Kohli for a whopping price of INR 21 crore. During his first stint as RCB captain from 2013 to 2021, the star batter led the side to playoffs on four occasions. The franchise also made it to the final in 2016, where they lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Kohli had relinquished RCB’s captaincy in 2021, citing that he wanted to give himself some space and manage his workload.
With multiple reports suggesting Virat Kohli’s comeback as a leader, RCB’s Director of Cricket Mo Bobat addressed the growing rumour soon after the retention list was unveiled.
Bobat kept the speculations alive, saying that the franchise is yet to make a final decision despite releasing Faf du Plessis, who led them in the last three seasons.
“I am sorry to disappoint everybody listening. We have not made any decision related to captaincy or on that (Kohli returning as skipper) as yet. We are open to options. The only obvious decision we made was not to retain Faf. He did a great job last year and the year before that. So from our perspective, we will keep a very open mind when we head to the auction,” Bobat told JioCinema.
Rajat Patidar (INR 11 crore) and Yash Dayal (INR 5 crore) were the other two players retained by RCB, leaving them with a budget of INR 83 crore for the upcoming mega auction.
speaking on the two retentions other than Kohli, RCB’s head coach Andy Flower said: "We are thrilled to retain Yash Dayal, an extraordinary talent whose career is on an upward trajectory. His unique ability as a left-arm bowler, capable of swinging the ball in both directions, adds a valuable dimension to our bowling attack - one that is increasingly rare in the auction landscape."
"Rajat Patidar is a key member of our squad. His exceptional talent and resilience have already made a significant impact on our team, and he truly embodies the spirit of RCB. We are excited to see him continue to develop and shine in the upcoming season."
