Virat Kohli’s support key in Patidar’s RCB captaincy, reveals Mo Bobat

Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) 18-year wait for an IPL trophy finally came to an end earlier this year. Ahead of the season, when Rajat Patidar was named captain, many fans were unsure about the decision. But Patidar silenced the critics and guided the franchise to its maiden title.

Advertisment

Now, in an exclusive chat with Cricbuzz, RCB’s Director of Cricket, Mo Bobat, has explained how veteran batter Virat Kohli played a crucial role in finalising the decision to make Rajat Patidar the new captain of RCB.

Bobat revealed that he and head coach Andy Flower visited Ahmedabad to discuss the matter with Kohli, and the former RCB skipper was fully supportive of the choice.

“Andy and I went and visited Virat. He was playing in Ahmedabad for India at the time. We told him what we were thinking, and he really liked the idea as well. Virat has a huge amount of respect for Rajat as a player, as a person. He knows that Rajat understands the franchise and understands what it takes to be an RCB player, which can be deemed as pressure for others, but these guys are there and they take it in their stride. So, he was confident that Rajat was accustomed to that,” he said.

Advertisment

“And also, we spoke with Virat and we talked about the fact that Rajat was going to be new to captaincy. He was going to need all of our help. That's the reality. And Virat said, 'Look, 100%, I'm there to help. It's in all of our interests if Rajat succeeds. Let's give this a go.' So, it's brilliant to have Virat's blessing and his approval because he's an important person and player in our environment,” Bobat further added.

Patidar has been part of RCB since 2021. In his first season, he played only four games, scoring 71 runs. He was later released but returned in 2022 as an injury replacement for Luvnith Sisodia. That season, he impressed with 333 runs in eight games, including a century. 

In 2023, he missed the entire IPL season due to a heel injury, but made a strong comeback in 2024 with 395 runs in 15 matches. Finally, in 2025, as captain, he led from the front with 312 runs in 15 innings and lifted the coveted trophy with RCB.

Advertisment

Stay updated with the latest cricket news, match insights, and exclusive updates at Sky247 India and download the Sky247 app to start betting today!