Virat Kohli Could Return as Captain for RCB in IPL 2025

Several reports suggest that veteran Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batsman Virat Kohli could return as the franchise’s captain at IPL 2025. The skilled batter was RCB’s skipper for over a decade before stepping down. Rumours filtering through the media suggest Kohli could be back to lead RCB as they seek their first-ever title in 2025.

RCB Speaks on Virat Kohli as Captain Rumours Before IPL 2025 Mega Auction

RCB Director of Cricket Mo Bobat spoke on the rumours trailing Virat Kohli’s retention before the IPL 2025 mega auction. Kohli is the second most-expensive player retained across all IPL franchises (at ₹21 crore), sparking speculation into his potential return as team captain.

RCB’s cricket director commented on the rumours to douse fan enthusiasm over Kohli’s potential return as captain. Bobat only confirmed the Bengaluru franchise will have a different captain next season. RCB has been seeking a replacement for the 40-year-old South African international since the end of their IPL 2024 campaign:

“I am sorry to disappoint everybody listening. We have not made any decision related to captaincy or on that (Kohli returning as skipper) as yet. We are open to options. The only obvious decision we made was not to retain Faf. He did a great job last year and the year before that. So from our perspective, we will keep a very open mind when we head to the auction,” Bobat said during a recent interview.

RCB’s administration could be looking for a permanent candidate at auction to succeed Kohli in future seasons. Their reluctance to announce Virat Kohli as the RCB captain for 2025 may also mean they may have something else planned. Fans will find out the franchise’s decision on who becomes their skipper in coming months.

Where Does Kohli Rank in the All-Time List of IPL Captains?

Virat Kohli currently ranks third in the all-time list of appearances as IPL captain. The veteran batsman has skippered the Bengaluru-based franchise on 143 occasions, 15 fewer than his compatriot Rohit Sharma for the Mumbai Indians (MI). Another veteran Indian MS Dhoni tops the all-time list of appearances as captain in IPL cricket with 226 matches.

Virat Kohli has 66 victories out of 143 matches (46.13% wins), 70 losses (48.91% defeats), 3 ties, and 4 no-results as RCB captain. The only IPL captains with more victories than Kohli are MS Dhoni (133 out of 226 matches), Rohit Sharma (87 out of 156 matches), and Gautam Gambhir (71 out of 129 matches).

Aakash Chopra Predicted Kohli’s Likely Return as RCB Captain in May 2024

Fans dug up a months-old YouTube video of former Team India cricketer predicting Virat Kohli’s potential return as RCB captain for IPL 2025. The May 2024 post from the ex-cricketer’s account had fans surprised over his predictive abilities:

“One guy to retain is Virat Kohli. Of course, he comes as the first retention and you need to keep Virat Kohli with you, both Bengaluru and Kohli believe that. So I am seeing another three-year retention. For all we know, Virat Kohli might want to be the leader again, or else you have to go shopping for a leader,” Chopra said months before rumours surfaced over Kohli’s likely return as RCB skipper for IPL 2025.

List of RCB Captains at IPL (2008 – 2024)

Seven (7) players have filled in as RCB captain since the IPL began in 2008. Here’s a look at each player’s record as skipper and their tenure as skipper for the Bengaluru-based franchise: