Virat Kohli will return as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain for the IPL 2025 season. The star batter, who’s carried RCB for years, stepped down as captain after the IPL 2021 season. It wasn’t just the league, but Kohli had given up the white-call captaincy of India by the end of 2021, and early in 2022, he chose to quit as Test captain as well.
Kohli the captain, to return
However, he’s ready to take a U-turn on that decision now. According to the Times of India, Kohli will take over from Faf du Plessis as RCB‘s captain. The management discussed the leadership of the franchise with Kohli, and given that the current captain, Faf, is 40, the former skipper has decided that he’ll step up in RCB’s time of need.
“I will continue to be an RCB player till I play my last game in the IPL. But it’s been a great journey of nine years of joy, frustration, moments of happiness and sadness, and I just want to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for supporting me and believing in me relentlessly and unconditionally,” this is what Kohli had said while stepping down.
No one really believed that he’d decided to captain again after suffering what many describe as a heartbreak with the Indian team. But, as he mentioned above, RCB has a special place in his heart, and he’s willing to take his words back if it results in the betterment of the team.
What happens to Faf?
Kohli was RCB’s regular captain from 2013 to 2021 and even got them close to winning the title in 2016, but it wasn’t to be. He’s continued to be an inspiration to everyone despite not being the de facto captain and will not reprise the role once again. What’s now to be seen is what’ll happen with Faf du Plessis and what Kohli, who’s been struggling this year post the IPL 2024 season, will do when he returns as captain.
RCB still wants Rishabh Pant
At first, RCB thought to look elsewhere. They apparently approached Shubman Gill, but things didn’t pan out the way they wanted. So as Gill remains with the Gujarat Titans, RCB looks to go after another Indian star in Rishabh Pant. Since his midnight post online, there have been speculations that the wicketkeeper will leave the Delhi Capitals. We’ll get to know the truth tomorrow, but if Pant indeed comes to the IPL 2025 mega auction, RCB will bid for him.
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