IPL 2025: 3 Weaknesses of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are one of the few IPL franchises yet to win a title since the tournament's inception. With their 22-member squad, they will be eager to change that and claim their maiden trophy.

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Last season, RCB finished fourth but lost to Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the Eliminator. Now, under Rajat Patidar’s captaincy, a new era begins. However, there are some challenges he will need to tackle to achieve positive results in IPL 2025.  

Here are the 3 Weaknesses of RCB for the IPL 2025

Inexperienced Captaincy

Rajat Patidar is set to lead RCB in the upcoming season. Over the past few years, he has showcased his batting prowess, especially against spinners. However, with captaincy now on his shoulders, the big question is whether he can maintain or even improve his batting form or if the added responsibility will affect his performance. That remains to be seen. Many top batters have struggled after taking on captaincy, and at this stage, Rajat is still an untested leader. He captained Madhya Pradesh in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) from 2019 to 2024 and even led them to the final in 2024, where they lost to Mumbai. However, leading a team in a high-pressure tournament like the IPL is a different challenge, and how he handles it will be a key factor in RCB’s campaign.

Lack of top-quality spinners

Top-quality spinners will play a crucial role in this tournament, but this is an area where RCB might struggle. Suyash Sharma is likely to be their main spinner, supported by part-time options like Swapnil Singh, Krunal Pandya, and Liam Livingstone. Suyash had an impressive IPL 2023 with KKR, but in the following season, he struggled for game time, playing only two matches and going wicketless. This makes IPL 2025 a crucial season for him. Whether he can deliver remains to be seen, as taking wickets in the middle overs will be key to RCB’s success.     

Huge test for the middle-over batters 

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When it comes to RCB’s batting lineup this season, a lot will depend on their top order, especially Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, and Rajat Patidar. However, if they fail in some games, can the middle order—featuring Devdutt Padikkal, Liam Livingstone, Tim David, and Krunal Pandya—deliver consistently? That remains to be seen. Padikkal and Pandya need to improve their consistency, while Livingstone and David have the potential to be RCB’s X-factors with their power-hitting. This will be a big test for them throughout the tournament, as they will need to perform whenever they get opportunities, regardless of the situation.

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