Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) find themselves in an intriguing position as former captain Faf du Plessis moves to Delhi Capitals for a modest ₹2 crore in the IPL 2025 auction, leaving the franchise with limited captaincy options. This now hints at Virat Kohli’s potential return to the leadership role he relinquished in 2021.
Faf du Plessis not in RCB’s plan
The Bengaluru-based franchise’s decision to neither retain nor bid for du Plessis has been under question, especially considering the South African’s successful tenure that saw RCB reach the playoffs in two out of three seasons under his leadership. With most established captaincy candidates already secured by other franchises, all signs point toward a possible Kohli comeback as captain.
Day 1 of the IPL 2025 auction saw RCB making questionable moves, securing Josh Hazlewood (₹12.50 crore), Phil Salt (₹11.50 crore), and Liam Livingstone (₹8.75 crore). While these additions strengthen their squad, none of these players bring substantial IPL captaincy experience to the table. They also acquired wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma for ₹11 crore, along with bowlers Rasikh Dar (₹6 crore) and Suyash Sharma (₹2.60 crore).
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The Kohli Factor
Virat Kohli’s potential return to captaincy wouldn’t be without precedent. Having led RCB from 2013 to 2021, Kohli’s understanding of the franchise’s culture runs deep. Despite stepping down after the 2021 season, his commitment to RCB has never wavered – he remains the IPL’s all-time leading run-scorer and has been with the franchise since its inception in 2008.
Under Kohli’s previous captaincy stint, RCB reached their closest to IPL glory in 2016, finishing as runners-up after a closely fought final against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
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