IPL 2025: Rajat Patidar to Rely on Virat Kohli's Captaincy Expertise, Says Robin Uthappa
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Synopsis
As IPL 2025 approaches, Robin Uthappa highlights Rajat Patidar's reliance on Virat Kohli's leadership while facing the challenges of captaincy for RCB. New captains in IPL offer fresh opportunities, with a focus on home game strategies and bowling strength.
Key Takeaways
- Rajat Patidar is set to lead RCB in IPL 2025.
- Uthappa emphasizes the significance of Virat Kohli's leadership skills.
- New captains like Axar Patel and Patidar present fresh opportunities for their teams.
- RCB's bowling lineup includes notable players like Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
- Home game strategies will be crucial for success in high-scoring venues.
New Delhi, March 19 (NationPress) Former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa asserts that Rajat Patidar will heavily depend on Virat Kohli's leadership abilities while navigating the challenges of leading the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in IPL 2025.
This marks Patidar's inaugural experience as a captain in the IPL, having previously guided Madhya Pradesh to the finals of the 2024/25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Additionally, Axar Patel will also be under scrutiny as he takes on the captaincy role for the Delhi Capitals for the first time in the IPL.
“Between Axar Patel and Rajat Patidar, I genuinely believe Axar has a slight advantage, largely due to the presence of familiar faces in a relatively new side. Rajat, on the other hand, will need to navigate the immense superstardom of Virat Kohli within the team. I anticipate that he will lean significantly on Kohli's captaincy prowess,” stated Uthappa.
“Rajat is in a remarkable position to advance RCB forward. I’m thrilled for teams like RCB, KKR (with Ajinkya Rahane), and Delhi, as they embark on new journeys with fresh captains, presenting exciting opportunities for these leaders to carry their teams' legacies forward.
“In the case of RCB, Rajat will need to define his leadership style. He has performed admirably in domestic cricket, but translating that success into IPL performances is crucial for RCB,” Uthappa, an IPL analyst for JioStar, shared during a virtual press conference ahead of the 18th season of the tournament.
RCB is also introducing a revamped fast bowling lineup with Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Rasikh Salam joining retained players Yash Dayal and Josh Hazlewood, in addition to Lungi Ngidi and Nuwan Thushara.
Uthappa, a past winner with Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders, believes both Axar and Patidar must devise strategies to achieve success at their home venues, particularly since the M Chinnaswamy Stadium is known for favoring batsmen.
“The challenge will lie in winning at home, especially in similar venues like Delhi and Bengaluru—small, high-scoring grounds that lack a true home advantage. They must find solutions as leaders. This will be a significant challenge for them,” he commented.
“Any team facing RCB in Bengaluru will have to exert considerable effort due to the challenging nature of the venue for bowlers. It will require hard work from the bowlers, but I believe they possess the right talent, including Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, and Rasikh Dar if I'm not mistaken.
“They have a solid group of fast bowlers. Hopefully, they can avoid injuries to maintain fitness throughout the season, ensuring their bowling department remains robust,” he elaborated.
Uthappa concluded by suggesting that DC should have KL Rahul opening the batting, emphasizing his ability to dominate bowlers when in form. In addition to Rahul, DC has vice-captain Faf du Plessis and Jake Fraser-McGurk as opening options.
“In my view, if DC utilizes him in any position other than opening, they would be doing a disservice to both themselves and KL Rahul. He should definitely open in T20 cricket, as few players can match his destructive capabilities against a new ball,” he concluded.
