Indian cricket icon Kris Srikkanth believes that Virat Kohli would have personally chosen not to take on the captaincy role for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) ahead of the upcoming IPL season, preferring to focus on his batting. He also praised RCB’s decision to appoint Rajat Patidar as the new captain, highlighting that the 31-year-old will benefit from lower expectations, which could allow him to lead with greater freedom.
RCB’s announcement of Patidar as their fourth Indian captain on February 13 came as a surprise to many, with speculation growing about a potential return of Kohli to the leadership role after he stepped down in 2021. However, during a discussion on his YouTube channel Cheeky Cheeka, Srikkanth suggested that Kohli likely made the choice not to reclaim the captaincy, opening the door for a new leadership direction under Patidar.
Srikkanth shared his thoughts on the situation, saying, “I believe Virat Kohli would have declined the captaincy if asked. He likely would have said, ‘I want to focus on my batting.’ It’s possible this decision was made after discussing it with him.”
Speaking about Rajat Patidar, he said, “Rajat is a great choice. He’s been performing well in the IPL, and what’s great is that there won’t be much pressure on him. It reminds me of when we made Dhoni the T20 captain in 2007 — not much was expected from him or the team. The same applies here with Rajat Patidar. There’s no huge burden of expectation, and he’ll have the freedom to make his own decisions. Of course, he’ll have the guidance of Virat Kohli, who will play a crucial advisory role.”
At the official announcement event in Bengaluru, RCB’s Team Director, Mo Bobat, acknowledged Kohli’s continued leadership influence within the team, even under Faf du Plessis’ captaincy last season. Bobat emphasized that Kohli’s leadership extends beyond titles, as it’s something that comes naturally to him.
Kohli had led RCB for nine seasons between 2013 and 2021, stepping down from the role alongside his resignation as India’s T20I and ODI captain. While he never secured an IPL title as captain, his tenure was instrumental in establishing RCB as a consistently competitive force in the league.
RCB’s head coach, Andy Flower, also weighed in on Kohli’s response to Patidar’s appointment, describing the star batsman as highly professional and fully supportive of the decision. With Kohli now focusing exclusively on his batting, RCB hopes to see him return to his explosive best in IPL 2025.
