The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are set to enter a new chapter in IPL 2025, with Rajat Patidar stepping up as the new captain. He takes over from Faf du Plessis, who was let go by the team before the 2025 auction. There were rumors that Virat Kohli might return to captaincy, but the cricket legend has chosen to stay out of that role for now.

Kohli will still play a significant part in the leadership dynamics and is likely to assist Patidar with on-field decisions. However, former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh believes that Patidar will face a tough challenge ahead.

Having captained the Mumbai Indians in a few matches during his playing career, Harbhajan remarked that leading an IPL team is “harder” than being the captain of the national team.

“For someone like Patidar, it’s going to be a big challenge. Captaining a major team like RCB means making tough calls about who plays and who bowls at what time. He hasn’t led a team before, and while many think leading India is the hardest job, I believe leading a franchise is even more challenging, and I’ve experienced it,” Harbhajan shared with ESPNCricinfo.

“Patidar will carry the weight of expectations since RCB has yet to win a title. He needs to meet those expectations while also playing his own game. Everything revolves around Virat Kohli, and he has to ensure he has a standout season. RCB has signed Patidar for five years, but if this season doesn’t go well, we’ll see what happens next.”

Patidar has been with RCB since 2021, marking his first IPL team. Over the years, he has emerged as a key middle-order batsman for the squad. Last season, he scored 395 runs at an impressive strike rate of 177, boasting an overall strike rate of nearly 159 across three seasons with the team.

Unfortunately, he missed the 2023 season due to an Achilles heel injury.

RCB kicks off the season with their first game

The season kicks off on March 22 with the Royal Challengers facing off against the Kolkata Knight Riders. Both teams will have fresh faces at the helm, as Ajinkya Rahane, one of KKR's latest signings from the 2025 auction, steps up to captain the defending champions.

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