IPL 2025 retention: Virat Kohli to return as Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain; can RCB win the trophy this time?

Virat Kohli is set to return as captain for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season, The Times of India reported. Kohli and the team’s management have already discussed this shift in leadership, with Kohli keen on stepping up to fill the captaincy role after a brief hiatus TOI added.

Former captain Faf du Plessis, now 40, led RCB from 2022 to 2024. However, due to his age, he is unlikely to continue. The publication added that the franchise now sees Kohli as the ideal choice for the new cycle. LiveMint could not independently verify the report.

RCB, a team yet to secure an IPL title, have made Kohli's leadership the core of its strategy ahead of the upcoming mega auction. Kohli previously captained RCB from 2013 to 2021, guiding the team to the playoffs four times.

King Kohli’s closest run to the title was in 2016 when RCB narrowly missed out, losing to Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final. Kohli stepped down from the captaincy in 2021 following his decision to give up India’s T20I leadership. However, he maintained that he would remain an RCB player for the rest of his IPL career.

RCB considered other captaincy options, including Shubman Gill, but plans with him did not work out. There’s also speculation that RCB may pursue Rishabh Pant in the upcoming auction, TOI added.

Virat Kohli’s IPL career

Virat Kohli has had an outstanding cricket career in the IPL, becoming one of the tournament's top performers over the years. In his 252 matches, Kohli has scored a remarkable 8,004 runs with a batting average of 38.67.

His highest score is 113 with a solid strike rate of 131.97 across his career. Kohli has hit eight centuries and 55 half-centuries, proving his consistency as a batsman. His aggressive batting style is evident from his 705 fours and 272 sixes.