Former India and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) cricketer Parthiv Patel has revealed that the franchise management had offered him the captaincy in 2019. However, the plans never materialized as the management was changed before the season began.
In the IPL, Virat Kohli is closely associated with Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Kohli has repeatedly stated that RCB is the only IPL team he will play for. From 2013 to 2021, Kohli, who has been a part of the franchise since its first season in 2008, served as its captain.
But in 2025, under Rajat Patidar's leadership, he won his first IPL championship with RCB. Then, RCB won the title again in 2026.
Former wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel disclosed that he was given the captaincy prior to the 2019 IPL, despite RCB's steadfast backing for Kohli.
"Were you offered the RCB captaincy?" Aakash Chopra asked Patel on his YouTube channel.
Parthiv Patel confirmed the news, highlighting that ex-England player Moeen Ali had already let the cat out of the bag in a prior interview. He stated that he was indeed offered RCB captaincy before IPL 2019, but then the management changed things and it never materialized.
"I have never talked about this, but Moeen Ali mentioned it in an interview. The fact is that I was told, 'Be ready; we are thinking about this for next year.' But the next year, the two people who offered it to me [Ashish Nehra and Gary Kirsten] were replaced, new coaches came in, and I didn't get to play a single match that entire season," Parthiv revealed.
Moeen Ali, a former England all-rounder who used to play for RCB, had previously shared that the team was thinking about taking the captaincy away from Kohli in IPL 2019 and putting Parthiv Patel, the wicketkeeper-batter, in charge instead.
"Yes, I think he was. I'm quite sure he was. In the final year when Gary Kirsten was there, after the first year, I believe Parthiv was in line to become captain. He had a brilliant cricketing brain. That was the talk at the time. I don't know what happened or why it didn't materialize, but I'm sure he was seriously considered for the role," Moeen said on Sports Tak.
Kohli continued as RCB skipper in IPL 2019 and continued in the role till IPL 2021 before stepping down to manage his workload.
