3 major challenges for Rajat Patidar as RCB captain for IPL 2025

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finally announced their captain for IPL 2025, with middle-order batter Rajat Patidar getting the nod to lead the franchise. Patidar was one of only three players retained by the franchise before the IPL 2025 auction, along with Virat Kohli and Yash Dayal.

The news came as a surprise to some of the fans, who had massive expectations of Kohli possibly returning to the helm. Yet, Patidar is no stranger to RCB, having been with the franchise since 2021.

While this will be his first crack at IPL captaincy, the 31-year-old impressed everyone concerned with his leadership abilities in the recent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT). Patidar captained Madhya Pradesh in the tournament, leading them to the final, where they fell short against Mumbai.

He also captained the state in the 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy, proving he is no stranger to leading a side. However, captaining RCB is a different kettle of fish, considering the franchise's incredible fanbase and their massive expectations.

That the franchise is still searching for its elusive IPL title only adds more pressure to Patidar as he looks to find his footing as the skipper.

On that note, here are three major challenges for Rajat Patidar as RCB captain in IPL 2025.

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# 1 Focus on resistance over ruthlessness in selection

Patidar must gain the trust of his players for them to deliver when it matters [Credit: Getty]

The most successful franchises in the IPL or any T20 league have often preached terms like continuity, stability, and patience. However, RCB have often been accused of being trigger-happy in search of instant results.

Part of the franchise's problems have stemmed from an inability to nail their ideal playing XI, resulting in constant chopping and changing through the majority of the season. To avoid an umpteenth instance of the same, Patidar must work in unison with head coach Andy Flower and come up with a playing XI that ticks most boxes across conditions at the start of the IPL 2025 season.

Considering RCB have a new squad after the auction, there is a possibility that even with all the preparation, the start of the 2025 season won't be great. Yet, that is when Patidar must remain patient and trust the process and the players in the hope of an eventual turnaround.

It is a mantra that has proven successful for teams like Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), among others, historically. Yet, RCB have often gone for ruthless selection calls when things go awry rather than resisting the urge to change and maintaining a level of trust in their pre-season work and the playing XI initially selected.

With Patidar lacking international experience compared to several others in the RCB setup, practicing the above might be easier said than done.

# 2 Ensuring the looming Virat Kohli shadow doesn't turn into an MI 2024 debacle

While Virat Kohli will certainly do everything in his power to assist Rajat Patidar, his shadow looming large due to his iconic status cannot be avoided. Kohli and longtime RCB fans may already be waiting to pounce on Patidar if the 2025 season starts poorly.

Lest we forget, even a champion side full of stars like Mumbai Indians (MI) had a wrecked 2025 simply because newly-appointed captain Hardik Pandya could not overcome the fan backlashes on his replacing Rohit Sharma at the helm. A winning start would certainly help keep such outside noise away.

Yet, should RCB, who could have their challenges in figuring out the ideal playing XI from a new-look squad, start on the wrong foot, things could get ugly for Patidar. Should something as unfortunate transpire, the 31-year-old must remain mentally strong and only focus on his sole goal - help RCB qualify for the playoffs and win their maiden IPL title.

As simple as it sounds, avoiding outside noise and fan backlashes from social media or at the stadium has quickly turned into one of the staunch challenges for sportsmen around the globe.

How Patidar deals with this in the presence of RCB's talisman, Virat Kohli, and uses the former captain to his benefit rather than a detriment will be crucial to their success in IPL 2025.

# 3 Compartmentalize captaincy from batting to repeat IPL 2024 template

Controlled aggression was one of the key reasons behind RCB's incredible turnaround in IPL 2024, and no one exhibited it better than Rajat Patidar with the bat. The right-hander's ability to take on the spinners in the middle overs played a massive role in RCB posting above-par totals.

Yet, the responsibility of captaincy might force Patidar to bat more cautiously - something he must avoid for the betterment of the side. His 395 runs last season came at a strike rate of over 177, and RCB will know a similar approach is a non-negotiable, especially with the high-scoring Chinnaswamy Stadium being their home arena.

Even the other batters predominantly batted at higher strike rates than they were previously used to, evidenced by Kohli's all-time IPL high of 154.69. Winning six straight after losing seven out of their first eight games was no walk in the park, and RCB did that by well and truly adopting their theme of 'Play Bold.'

Patidar must ensure the all-out attacking batting template continues for himself and his side as he captains for the first time in his IPL career. If the 2024/25 SMAT is anything to go by, RCB fans can breathe a sigh of relief as Patidar averaged over 61 at a strike rate of 186.08 while leading Madhya Pradesh.