Powered by one of the greatest fan bases in the Indian Premier League, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru are gearing up for yet another appearance in the upcoming IPL 2025. Despite their trophy drought since the inception of the tournament, the team has been backed by a massive fan base who come out in huge numbers irrespective of the venue to support the Challengers. 

After announcing their retention and released player list for IPL 2025, there were several speculations over the internet that the team’s former skipper and star performer Virat Kohli will be once again seen wearing the captain’s cap. The speculations arose after Royal Challengers Bengaluru released their skipper Faf du Plessis ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. 

However, RCB’s Director of Cricket Mo Bobat has recently dismissed the rumors of Virat Kohli returning back as the captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, revealing the team to have not made any decision yet regarding the matter. 

“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 told JioCinema. 

ALSO READ Royal Challengers Bengaluru Retention for IPL 2025; List of Retained and Released Players 

‘Truly embodies the spirit of RCB’ – Head coach Andy Flower reflects on Retaining Patidar and Yash Dayal for IPL 2025 

Notably, Royal Challengers Bengaluru have retained only three players, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar and Yash Dayal while releasing all the other squad members including match winners like Glenn Maxwell and Mohammed Siraj. 

Reflecting on the team’s retention strategy, head coach Andy Flower discussed, “ We are thrilled to retain Yash Dayal, an extraordinary talent whose career is on an upward trajectory. His unique ability as a left-arm bowler, capable of swinging the ball in both directions, adds a valuable dimension to our bowling attack – one that is increasingly rare in the auction landscape.” 

“Rajat Patidar is a key member of our squad. His exceptional talent and resilience have already made a significant impact on our team, and he truly embodies the spirit of RCB. We are excited to see him continue to develop and shine in the upcoming season,” Flower added.