'There were doubts in my mind': Rajat Patidar reflects on receiving RCB's captaincy honour from Virat Kohli

Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Rajat Patidar recently shared his thoughts on the extraordinary moment when Virat Kohli entrusted him with the captaincy ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Patidar admitted that he was initially taken aback by the situation, but Kohli reassured him, stating, "You deserve it; you’ve earned it." In a candid conversation on the RCB Podcast, the 31-year-old Patidar reflected on his remarkable journey—from being overlooked in the 2022 IPL mega auction, despite prior assurances from the RCB management, to now leading a franchise that continues to pursue its elusive maiden IPL title.

Looking back to 2022, Patidar expressed a quiet confidence that he would be selected during the mega auction, highlighting the unpredictability of the sport and the challenges he faced along the way.

"I had got a message (ahead of the mega auction for IPL 2022) that you be ready... that we will pick you. I had a little hope that I will get another chance (to play for RCB). But I wasn't picked in the mega auction. I was a little sad," said Patidar on an RCB Podcast.

"I (had) started playing in my local matches in Indore (after not getting picked in the auction). Then, I got a call that 'we are picking you as a replacement for Luvnith Sisodia', who was injured. To tell you frankly, I didn't want to come as a replacement because I knew that I wouldn't get a chance to play there, and I always feel that I don't want to sit there (in the dugout). I wasn't angry. It was like, if they didn't pick me (during the auction), then I won't get it (get to play). I was angry for a while, but then I was normal," said Patidar.

Three years later, during a season that started with rumors of a change in leadership, RCB surprised everyone by appointing Rajat Patidar as the IPL 2025 captain.

"I had a lot of questions like, there are so many (big players) in the team. Virat Kohli is such a big player, how will you do it under him. I know how supportive he is about this (captaincy change). I knew I have his full support. Like I said, this is a learning for me, it's an opportunity for me. So, I will learn as much as I can from him. Because no one has the experience and ideas that he has in every role -- be it batting, as an individual and as a captain. I have seen him (Kohli) since I started watching TV — in the IPL, off the field, in the Indian team. To take that thing (the captaincy plaque) from him… it was very special,” Patidar said.

"When he was giving it to me, I didn't know how to react. I held it, looked at him, and asked myself, ‘What should I do now?' Then he said, ‘You deserve it, you earned it.' That calmed me down," he recalled.

With 239 runs in the middle order and a cool, collected approach to captaincy, Patidar has led RCB in 11 games this season and won eight of them. He had just led Madhya Pradesh to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final when he entered the 2025 Indian Premier League.

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