The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) shocked everyone when they announced for an event on Thursday morning, with a major announcement to make. The entire IPL fanbase went gaga in anticipation on who would get the massive opportunity to lead one of the most franchises in India. It was virtually a toss-up between Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar, with the RCB choosing the unlikely option of Patidar.
The RCB management gave Patidar a hint as early as last season. After that, he requested his state side, Madhya Pradesh (MP), to make him the captain for the ongoing domestic season. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), Patidar did a superb job, taking MP to the final. It would be fascinating to see how he copes with the pressure of captaining RCB. Regardless, Patidar joins the elite list of players who captained RCB, entering the pantheon that includes Virat Kohli, Anil Kumble, Kevin Pietersen, Rahul Dravid, Daniel Vettorri, Shane Watson, and Faf du Plessis. But there have been quite a few more legends who represented the franchise but never got an opportunity to lead the team in an IPL or even a Champions League (now defunct) game.
5 big superstars who never became RCB captains
| Player | Matches for RCB | Runs/Wickets for RCB |
|---|---|---|
| AB de Villiers | 157 | 4522 |
| Yuvraj Singh | 14 | 376/5 |
| Chris Gayle | 91 | 3420/13 |
| KL Rahul | 19 | 417 |
| Dale Steyn | 40 | 38 |
Tough luck for AB de Villiers & others
Above are five of the best ever white-ball players but still never got an opportunity to lead RCB. AB de Villiers is the biggest name of all. The South African legend is perhaps one of the most gifted players and has been the heart of RCB ever since joining them in 2011. He had and still has a lovely bond with Kohli, who captained De Villiers during his career. De Villiers is also probably the best overseas player to play in the IPL and with 4522 runs at a SR of 158.33 (better than Gayle), de Villiers is the most accomplished player to never lead the Royal Challengers.
Chris Gayle, who made himself a megastar in RCB’s jersey, has played for countless franchises and has captained a few of them as well. However, he never led RCB. Same is the case with Yuvraj Singh and Dale Steyn, who both played for the franchise in the twilight of their careers. KL Rahul, meanwhile, was yet to become as big a star as he is currently when he played for RCB.
