New Delhi: Amid the suspense over the retention rules from BCCI for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction, all ten franchises have already started planning for the mega event. Several teams, including Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will head into the IPL 2025 mega auction looking for a new captaincy candidate.
As per reports, RCB have decided to retain Virat Kohli, Mohammed Siraj, Will Jacks, Rajat Patidar and Yash Dayal ahead of the auction. They are unlikely to keep hold of their current captain Faf du Plessis, who is already 40 and might look for a younger captain with long-term plans. Du Plessis had replaced Virat Kohli as captain after joining RCB ahead of IPL 2022.
He has since done well as the skipper of the team having guided them to playoffs in two of their last three seasons. However, the elusive trophy continues to elude the franchise, which is among only three teams to have not won the IPL title despite being part of the tournament since the inaugural edition in 2008. RCB will be hoping the appointment of a new captain might revive their fortunes next season.
4 players who can replace Faf du Plessis as RCB captain:
1) KL Rahul
The first name on the list is a former RCB batter. Local lad KL Rahul has been heavily linked with a return to his former franchise amid reports that his current team Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are not keen on retaining him as captain for IPL 2025. If Rahul is released by LSG ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, RCB might go all out for the star India batter.
Rahul has plenty of experience as a captain in the IPL as he has led both Punjab Kings and LSG. His batting has come under the scanner over the last couple of years due to his strike rate, but Rahul remains a consistent run-getter in the IPL. He can be an ideal fit for RCB to take over the mantle from Du Plessis and lead the franchise for the next 3 years.
2) Rohit Sharma
Rohit Sharma’s name on the list might come as a surprise to many. However, RCB might be one of the teams to capitalise if the Indian Test and ODI skipper is released by his current team Mumbai Indians (MI). MI appointed Hardik Pandya as captain to replace Rohit last year and there have been reports that all is not well between the Hitman and the franchise.
A five-time IPL-winning captain with Mumbai Indians, Rohit is one of the most successful skippers in the history of the tournament. His arrival at RCB would also mean the fans will get to see Kohli and Rohit in the same team in the IPL, which will be a salivating prospect for many.
3) Aiden Markram
Aiden Markram led Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in IPL 2023 before being replaced by Pat Cummins last season. The South African batter has also been leading South Africa in T20Is for a while now and has won back-to-back SA20 titles with the Sunrisers Eastern Cape. He is a proven captaincy material and can be a good choice for RCB if SRH decide to release him ahead of the mega auction.
It will be difficult for SRH to keep hold of all four of Cummins, Markram, Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen as there will certainly be a cap on overseas players in the BCCI’s retention policy for the IPL 2025 mega auction. Thus, Markram can be a solid captaincy option for many teams if he is released into the auction.
4) Virat Kohli
Royal Challengers Bengaluru might not have to look too far away for a captaincy option if they don’t manage to land their desired candidate at the IPL 2025 mega auction. RCB can always go back to their talisman Virat Kohli and convince him to take over the leadership position once again. Though it is highly unlikely that Kohli will agree to return as captain, it is still a viable option for RCB.
Kohli, who took over as RCB’s full-time captain in 2013, led the team for nine seasons before stepping down after IPL 2021. Under his captaincy, RCB reached the playoffs four times and made it to the final in IPL 2016 but failed to lift their maiden title. Nonetheless, Kohli remains the heartbeat of RCB and their highest run-getter with the bat.
With RCB unlikely to continue with Faf du Plessis as their captain in IPL 2025, here is a look at four players who can replace the veteran South Africa batter as the new captain of the franchise. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
