IPL 2025: Virat Kohli Returns to RCB After Champions Trophy Victory

Synopsis

Virat Kohli has rejoined the Royal Challengers Bengaluru squad for IPL 2025 following India's Champions Trophy triumph. The star batsman expressed support for new captain Rajat Patidar and reflected on his illustrious career, highlighting his impressive stats and the challenge of pursuing an IPL title.

Key Takeaways

Virat Kohli rejoined RCB for the IPL 2025.
Kohli excelled in the ICC Champions Trophy, contributing significantly to India's win.
New captain Rajat Patidar has the full backing of Kohli and the team.
Kohli's impressive IPL record includes over 8,000 runs.
RCB aims for their first title after several near-misses.

New Delhi, March 15 (NationPress) Star batter and former captain Virat Kohli has officially joined the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) squad on Saturday, gearing up for the IPL 2025 season.

A video released by the franchise on social media showcases Kohli donning an RCB jersey, captioned, "The King is here and like always, he’s 2 steps (sometimes a LOT more) ahead of everyone."

Kohli was in exceptional form during India’s victorious run in the ICC Champions Trophy held in Dubai last week, where the team, led by Rohit Sharma, triumphed over New Zealand in the finals, securing their third title.

The 36-year-old cricketer scored a total of 218 runs across five matches, boasting an average of 54.50. His remarkable performance included a match-winning unbeaten century against fierce rivals Pakistan and a critical 84 in the semi-final against Australia.

For the upcoming IPL 2025 season, RCB has appointed Rajat Patidar as their new captain following a squad overhaul in last year’s mega auction.

"Rajat, firstly, I want to congratulate you and wish you all the very best. The way you have grown in the franchise and the way you have performed, you have truly won the hearts of RCB fans all over India," Kohli expressed regarding Patidar's appointment.

"They get excited to watch you play. So, this is very well deserved. Myself and the other team members will be right behind you, and you’ll have all our support."

Patidar succeeds Faf du Plessis, who captained RCB over the past few seasons but was not retained before the 2025 auction. The 31-year-old batsman’s ascent within RCB has been quite impressive.

After his standout performance during the 2022 season, where he scored a stunning century in the playoffs, Patidar has emerged as a pivotal player for the team.

Kohli, who led RCB for nearly a decade before stepping down in 2021, acknowledged the significant responsibility that comes with captaincy but expressed his trust in Patidar’s abilities. Even though this will be Patidar’s maiden experience leading a team in the IPL, he has already served as captain for Madhya Pradesh during the 2024-25 season in both the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (where they finished as runners-up) and the Vijay Hazare Trophy. These competitions marked his first full-time leadership experience in domestic cricket.

Meanwhile, Kohli has been with RCB since the IPL's inception in 2008. He has also captained the franchise in 140 matches before stepping down. In his 252 matches, the batting superstar has accumulated 8,004 runs, which includes eight centuries and 55 fifties at an impressive average of 38.67.

The seasoned player leads the IPL in run-scoring, significantly ahead of Shikhar Dhawan, who has 6,769 runs, the second-highest in the league. Despite his illustrious IPL career, Kohli has yet to clinch a title in the tournament's 17 editions to date, with RCB finishing as runners-up three times in 2009, 2011, and 2016.