In India, the festive season may have ended but the beloved festival of cricket is on the way. The much-awaited mega auction for the 2025 IPL is finally here, set to take place on November 24th and 25th in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Things are heating up with each passing day, as the teams have already disclosed their retention lists and finalized their core lineup.
Not surprisingly Royal Challengers Bangalore has retained Virat Kohli as the only capped player, alongside two uncapped players Rajat Patidar (right-hand batsman) and Yash Dayal (Left-arm medium-fast bowler). However, they made a bold decision by not retaining their three-time captain Faf Du Plessis. Could this mean a shift in leadership?
Will this void be enough to bring back Kohli as the new captain of RCB in 2025?
For the upcoming season, RCB’s tough call of not going with Faf created a void for leadership. In a Bold Diaries video, RCB’s Director of Cricket Mo Bobat shared his thoughts…
“The decision to not retain Faf is a tricky one because I have nothing but admiration for him as a bloke, as a cricketer, as a leader, and as a captain. Again, I wouldn’t underestimate how big of a role he’s played for RCB in the last few years and how much, if he isn’t with us, we’re going to be missing him. So that was a tough decision for us.”
For an RCB fan, this news might bring mixed emotions. On one hand, the team is losing a reliable, rock-solid, dangerous batsman, on the other, this could be the opportunity to see new players take charge. Perhaps we will see Virat Kohli in RCB wearing the captain’s armband once again.
Virat Kohli in RCB Over the Years
If consistency had a nickname then it would be none other than Virat “The Run Machine” Kohli. From 2013 to 2021, he led the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) as captain and took them into the playoffs four times:
- Third place in 2015
- Runners-up in 2016
- Fourth in both 2020 and 2021.
With each season, Royal Challengers Bangalore have come close to lifting the trophy. The question is, will the IPL mega auction 2025 be a turning point?
In the tournament’s history, Kohli is the only player who never changed his allegiance. From his IPL debut in 2008 till today, he has been pivotal for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL. He has scored more than 8000 runs for the team, becoming the first-ever IPL player to do so.
Virat Kohli to step down from RCB captaincy after #IPL2021
“This will be my last IPL as captain of RCB. I’ll continue to be an RCB player till I play my last IPL game. I thank all the RCB fans for believing in me and supporting me.”: Virat Kohli#PlayBold #WeAreChallengers pic.twitter.com/QSIdCT8QQM
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) September 19, 2021
His retirement from RCB captainship back in 2021 broke the hearts of many fans and not retaining Du Plessis might be a nod from the team’s management to a late but well-deserved return to captaincy!
Virat Kohli in RCB from 2013 to 2024
Here’s a quick look at Virat Kohli’s batting performance with RCB from 2013 to 2024 in IPL.
| Year | Match | Runs | HS | Strike Rate | Average | 100s | 50s |
| 2024 | 15 | 741 | 113* | 154.70 | 61.75 | 1 | 5 |
| 2023 | 14 | 639 | 101* | 139.82 | 53.25 | 2 | 6 |
| 2022 | 16 | 341 | 73 | 115.99 | 22.73 | 0 | 2 |
| 2021 | 15 | 405 | 72* | 119.46 | 28.92 | 0 | 3 |
| 2020 | 15 | 466 | 90* | 121.35 | 42.36 | 0 | 3 |
| 2019 | 14 | 464 | 100 | 141.46 | 33.14 | 1 | 2 |
| 2018 | 14 | 530 | 92* | 139.10 | 48.18 | 0 | 4 |
| 2017 | 10 | 308 | 64 | 122.22 | 30.80 | 0 | 4 |
| 2016 | 16 | 973 | 113 | 152.03 | 81.08 | 4 | 7 |
| 2015 | 16 | 505 | 82* | 130.82 | 45.90 | 0 | 3 |
| 2014 | 14 | 359 | 73 | 122.10 | 27.61 | 0 | 2 |
| 2013 | 16 | 634 | 99 | 138.73 | 45.28 | 0 | 6 |
What I Think of du Plessis’ Departure and the Place of Kohli
Virat Kohli hasn’t personally confirmed this news, it’s all hypothetical for now. If Kohli agrees to take back his throne in the 2025 IPL season, RCB fans will see their beloved “Chiku” back on the field as captain once again.
The three-year break from IPL captaincy and retirement from T20 international with the 2024 World Cup trophy could have had a positive impact on his mental and physical state. This might give him more clarity while making decisions and also help him to read the ever-evolving situation on the pitch a lot better.
Since 2024, the Virat Kohli I’ve seen feels like Kohli 2.0. From his performance in the World T20 finals against South Africa, he has dispelled all doubts about his ability to score runs when the stakes are high. He had proved once again why he is called the modern-day master.
Will Virat Kohli Lead RCB Again as Captain?
In short, if Virat Kohli is making a comeback as captain, we’re in for some nail-biting chases and must-win matches. The aggression, the same 2016 adrenaline rush—it’s all on the way. This time, RCB fans can only hope that their team will be the last one standing, finally securing their first-ever IPL trophy in the Men’s league.
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