RCB’s Virat Kohli Urges Fans to Support New Captain Rajat Patidar

Bengaluru, March 17, 2025: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) star Virat Kohli, in a heartfelt message to fans, urged them to give their full support to newly-appointed captain Rajat Patidar as he steps into the leadership role for the IPL 2025 season. Kohli spoke highly of Patidar's skills and leadership potential, expressing confidence in his ability to lead the team to success.

Speaking at the RCB Unbox event, Kohli emphasized that the fans should support Patidar with the same enthusiasm they have shown towards past captains, assuring them that Patidar has everything required to excel as a leader. Kohli, who has been a key figure in RCB’s batting lineup, said, "The guy who is going to come next is the guy who is going to lead you for a long time. So, give him all the love you can. He’s an amazing talent and a great player, and I have full faith he will do a great job taking this amazing franchise forward."

Rajat Patidar's appointment as RCB captain comes after Kohli reportedly declined the leadership role and with RCB deciding not to retain Faf du Plessis before the IPL auction. This marks Patidar's first experience of captaining an IPL team, and fans are eager to see how the explosive batter handles the responsibility.

Kohli, the highest run-scorer in IPL history, enters the season with renewed confidence after an outstanding performance in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy. With 218 runs, including key knocks against Pakistan and Australia, Kohli is poised to lead RCB with his stellar form intact. Last season, Kohli also won the prestigious Orange Cap for scoring 741 runs, marking the second time in IPL history that he achieved this feat.

RCB will open their 2025 IPL campaign against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on March 22 at Eden Gardens. Fans and players alike will be watching closely to see how the team fares under Patidar’s leadership.