There has been considerable speculation regarding Virat Kohli's potential return as the captain of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru for IPL 2025, particularly after the franchise was unable to secure a replacement for Faf du Plessis, who was released prior to the mega auction. Jitesh Sharma, who was recently acquired by RCB during the auction, further ignited these rumors during an interview in December. Nevertheless, the franchise ultimately decided to support Rajat Patidar for the captaincy role. Jitesh later explained the reasons behind Kohli's decision to decline the offer.

In a discussion on the CricXtasy podcast before the commencement of IPL 2025, Jitesh, who played for PBKS in the previous season, stated that Kohli was not interested in captaining RCB for the upcoming season. He mentioned that while he was aware of Patidar's candidacy, he only received confirmation through a post on RCB's social media.

"I learned about Rajat Patidar's appointment as captain at the same time as everyone else. However, having been involved in the sport for some time, one can sense the dynamics at play. Virat bhai did not wish to lead the team," Jitesh remarked.

Nonetheless, the Indian wicketkeeper-batter quickly retracted his earlier comment regarding Kohli, suggesting that the reason for Kohli's reluctance to take on the captaincy again might stem from his absence from the role for the past four years. Virat Kohli last captained RCB in IPL 2021 before stepping down.

He subsequently clarified, "I cannot say why he chose not to captain. I am not part of the management; when I am, I will provide insights. However, given that he has not been in a captaincy position for the last 2-3 years, it seemed likely that he would not take on the role this year either. Therefore, I believe Rajat was the most suitable choice," he concluded.

What RCB head coach Andy Flower had said on Kohli?

Following RCB's significant announcement last month, team director Mo Bobat confirmed that Virat Kohli was considered for a leadership position, prior to Flower revealing his conversation with the 36-year-old.

During a media event in Bengaluru, the former Zimbabwean cricketer spoke about Kohli's "maturity and integrity" in relation to the RCB captaincy and shared his views on Patidar as a potential leader.

"In our conversations with Virat, I was impressed by the integrity and maturity he displayed as we discussed this topic, which aligned with my expectations. I truly enjoyed our dialogue; one aspect that stood out was his enthusiasm and passion for the upcoming IPL season. He clearly holds Rajat in high regard, both as an individual and as a player. I believe that relationship will be crucial, and as you saw in the earlier video, he spoke with genuine authenticity. I have immense respect for Virat. My experience with him last season, particularly during the challenging first half, highlighted his exceptional ability to turn things around. That experience only deepened my respect for him," he remarked.

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