Rajat Patidar Credits Virat Kohli’s Absolute Backing For Securing RCB Captaincy Role

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Rajat Patidar has opened up about the pivotal role Virat Kohli played in his rise to leadership, revealing that the backing of his childhood idol gave him the confidence to take charge of one of the Indian Premier League's most-followed franchises. Speaking on the YouTube series "Winner Stays On" hosted by Sports Launchpad, Patidar described receiving Kohli's support as a defining moment in his career. Patidar was named RCB captain ahead of the 2025 IPL season after the franchise released Faf du Plessis, who had led the team for three seasons.

The decision surprised many observers at the time, given that Patidar had only recently taken up captaincy duties with his domestic side and would now need to manage senior players, including Kohli, arguably the most iconic figure in RCB's history. Before finalizing the appointment, RCB's management reportedly discussed Patidar's name directly with Kohli, who fully endorsed the choice, having noticed leadership qualities in the young batter both on the field and in the dressing room. "If your idol backs you, then you don't need anything more. You don't need anyone else's support," Patidar said, reflecting on what it meant to learn of Kohli's endorsement.

"I used to notice everything about him when he batted — from what he did on the ground to what his routine was like off the field. Later, I came to know that he had backed me a lot, including when it came to the captaincy." Patidar added that receiving the RCB captaincy carried significant weight given the size of the franchise's fan base and the expectations that come with it. "It is not easy to give someone the captaincy of an RCB team, considering the number of fans and the expectations. He must have seen something in me, I don't know what, but I have received a lot of support from him in the team, as a player and as a captain."

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When Kohli publicly backed Patidar's appointment, he made clear that the newly named captain had earned the opportunity to lead the side and would receive the support needed to succeed in the role. Patidar also spoke more broadly about Kohli's presence within the RCB dressing room, describing him as someone who supports every player regardless of experience or nationality. "Even when I was just a player, he supported me a lot," Patidar said. "It does not matter who the player is. Even if someone is new to the team, he is always ready to help. He has so much experience and so many ideas that you always get an answer to every question from him. So, it is not just me. He has helped every player, even the foreigners."

The decision to hand Patidar the captaincy has since paid significant dividends for RCB. Under his leadership, the franchise won its first-ever IPL title in 2025, ending an 18-year wait for the trophy, before going on to defend the title successfully in 2026 to complete a back-to-back triumph. RCB's director of cricket, Mo Bobat, had said at the time of Patidar's appointment that Kohli did not need a formal captaincy title to lead, noting that leadership came naturally to him regardless of his official role. Bobat had also predicted that Patidar would lean on Kohli's experience much as du Plessis had done during his tenure as captain — a dynamic that appears to have played out as RCB has emerged as one of the IPL's most dominant sides over the past two seasons.

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