IPL Auction 2025: Virat Kohli to captain Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)

In a massive development, former Indian skipper Virat Kohli might lead the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) season. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru might consider Virat Kohli for the leadership role if they don't get targeted players in the IPL 2025 mega auction.

With the IPL 2025 retention deadline on October 31, fans are eagerly awaiting news about which players will stay with their favorite teams. Franchises must submit their retention lists to the BCCI before the upcoming IPL mega auction. However, some teams may lose key figures, including their captains.

Captains like KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, and Shreyas Iyer might be released by their respective teams before the auction. Pant has been the captain of the Delhi Capitals (DC) since 2021. Iyer became the captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in 2022, while Rahul is the captain of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).

Virat Kohli Stepped Down From RCB Captaincy After IPL 2021 Season

Virat Kohli made his IPL debut with the Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2008. He is the leading run-getter in the history of the tournament. The right-handed batter has scored 8,004 runs across 252 matches with an average of 38.67, including eight centuries. He also led the RCB team from 2013 to 2021.

The 35-year-old led the Bengaluru team to 66 wins out of 143 matches in the IPL. The team reached the playoffs four times during Kohli's captaincy. They emerged as runners-up in the IPL 2016, where they suffered a loss to SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in a closely fought encounter in the summit clash

He stepped down from the captaincy after the IPL 2021 season. The Bengaluru-based franchise appointed South African cricketer Faf du Plessis as captain ahead of the IPL 2022 season. Du Plessis guided the team to the playoffs twice in the last three seasons but he might be released considering his age.

Virat Kohli Might Lead Royal Challengers Bengaluru for One Season

Sports journalist Rohit Juglan hinted at the possibility of Kohli returning as Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain for one season, especially if they fail to sign KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant in the upcoming mega auction.

"Don’t Rule the possibility of Virat Kohli leading RCB again for 1 season PS - In the Absence of both KLR & RP," Rohit Juglan wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).

Don’t Rule the possibility of Virat Kohli leading RCB again for 1 season

PS - In the Absence of both KLR & RP

— रोहित जुगलान Rohit Juglan (@rohitjuglan) October 28, 2024

Virat Kohli's IPL Captaincy Journey - RCB Performance by Season

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