IPL 2025: RCB breaks silence on Virat Kohli's captaincy return, says 'sorry to disappoint everyone'

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.

Under his captaincy, RCB secured 66 wins and reached the final in 2016, though they fell short against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).

Following the release of Faf du Plessis, who captained RCB in recent seasons, Kohli’s 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.

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.

Also read: IPL 2025: CSK retain Dhoni, Pant enters auction pool and more; full list of players retained and released here

“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,” he said.

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.

RCB’s head coach Andy Flower praised Patidar and Dayal, highlighting the value they bring to the team. “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,” Flower commented.

Flower also emphasized the importance of Patidar, describing him as “a key member of our squad” whose “exceptional talent and resilience have already made a significant impact on our team.” The coach expressed his excitement to see Patidar’s continued development and contributions in the 2025 season.

With RCB keeping its captaincy options open and Kohli’s name being floated as a possible leader, all eyes are now on the mega auction, where RCB’s choices could redefine their campaign for the 2025 IPL season.

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• Cricket
• IPL 2025
• Virat Kohli
• Royal challengers bengaluru
• Rcb