IPL 2025: RCB breaks silence on Virat Kohli's captaincy return, says 'sorry to disappoint everyone'
By Sunita Iyer | First Published Nov 1, 2024, 10:32 AM ISTRoyal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) is back in the news with rising speculations around retained Virat Kohli potentially resuming his role as captain for the franchise in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL).
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) is back in the news with rising speculations around retained Virat Kohli potentially resuming his role as captain for the franchise in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL).
Kohli, who stepped down as RCB captain after the 2021 season, held the leadership from 2013 to 2021, making him the third-longest serving skipper in IPL history with 143 matches, following MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma.
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Under his captaincy, RCB secured 66 wins and reached the final in 2016, though they fell short against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
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King Kohli expresses his feelings and aspirations for the upcoming IPL ahead of the Mega Auction⦠pic.twitter.com/aKZEv8mtYf
Following the release of Faf du Plessis, who captained RCB in recent seasons, Kohliβs name has emerged once again as a possible leader. However, Mo Bobat, Director of Cricket for RCB, addressed the circulating rumors, stating the franchise has yet to make a final decision on the captaincy.
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Mo Bobat explains the team's strategy for pic.twitter.com/yydQOwxXQf
Speaking to JioCinema, Bobat clarified that RCB plans to keep an open mind, possibly looking for a new leader in the upcoming IPL 2025 mega auction. As per reports, the franchise has its eyes set on local boy KL Rahul.
βI 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,β he said.
βI've heard the rumors about Virat taking up the captaincy again, but they're not true. We're keeping an open mind as we look for a captain in the upcoming IPL auction, and we'll explore all our options before making a decision.β
β Mo Bobat pic.twitter.com/X3lTQeOiN7
RCB has retained three players for IPL 2025: Virat Kohli (21 crore), Rajat Patidar (11 crore), and Yash Dayal (5 crore). The team also has three Right to Match (RTM) cards available, which it can use strategically in the mega auction to further bolster the squad.
12th Man Army, your cheers have echoed! π£
Weβve retained the stars you championed for, and weβre thrilled to welcome them back! Together, letβs make this season unforgettable. πͺ pic.twitter.com/4Xqf79akr6
RCBβs head coach Andy Flower praised Patidar and Dayal, highlighting the value they bring to the team. βWe 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,β Flower commented.
Flower also emphasized the importance of Patidar, describing him as βa key member of our squadβ whose βexceptional talent and resilience have already made a significant impact on our team.β The coach expressed his excitement to see Patidarβs continued development and contributions in the 2025 season.
With RCB keeping its captaincy options open and Kohliβs name being floated as a possible leader, all eyes are now on the mega auction, where RCBβs choices could redefine their campaign for the 2025 IPL season.
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