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27m ago

RCB Discloses Kohli’s Backing for Patidar Captaincy, Raising Questions on Franchise Reach

Mo Bobat says the club encouraged Patidar to seek state captaincy experience before handing him the role.

Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar celebrate lifting the IPL 2025 trophy together.
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Rajat Patidar

Overview

  • Mo Bobat says he and coach Andy Flower met Virat Kohli in Ahmedabad to discuss elevating Rajat Patidar, and Kohli pledged full support for the move.
  • RCB considered buying back Faf du Plessis or returning to Kohli as captain but ultimately pursued an Indian skipper in Patidar and avoided banking on the auction for leadership.
  • Bobat recounts initiating leadership talks with Patidar mid-2024 and urging him to captain at state level, after which Patidar led Madhya Pradesh in domestic T20s.
  • Patidar led RCB to their first IPL title in June 2025, with Kohli described as empowering the first-time IPL captain; Patidar finished the season with 312 runs at a 143.77 strike rate.
  • Aakash Chopra questioned whether a franchise should nudge state captaincy decisions, focusing fresh scrutiny on IPL teams’ influence, while some reports speculate Patidar could remain captain in 2026.