RCB Director Mo Bobat Addresses Captaincy Speculation Amid Retention Decisions
Faf du Plessis had a commendable run as captain, leading RCB to the playoffs in two out of three seasons since taking over in 2022. This year was particularly notable as RCB made a remarkable comeback to secure their playoff spot after a dismal start to the season, winning six consecutive matches in the latter half of the tournament.
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) Director of Cricket Mo Bobat has clarified that no decision has been made regarding the captaincy for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season. This statement comes in response to various media reports suggesting that star batter Virat Kohli might be reinstated as captain after stepping down from the role in the 2021 season, following a turbulent tenure that began in 2013. Kohli's leadership saw RCB reach the finals in 2016, where they lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad by a narrow margin of eight runs.
On Thursday, RCB confirmed the retention of key players including Kohli, Rajat Patidar, and Yash Dayal ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. In a video released by the franchise, Bobat emphasized that the franchise has not finalized any captaincy decisions and remains open to exploring various options. "I am sorry to disappoint everybody listening. We have not made any decision related to captaincy or on that as yet. We are open to options. The only obvious decision we made was not to retain Faf [du Plessis]. He did a great job last year and the year before that. So from our perspective, we will keep a very open mind when we head to the auction," he stated.
Faf du Plessis had a commendable run as captain, leading RCB to the playoffs in two out of three seasons since taking over in 2022. This year was particularly notable as RCB made a remarkable comeback to secure their playoff spot after a dismal start to the season, winning six consecutive matches in the latter half of the tournament.
Bobat also mentioned the difficult decision not to retain pacer Mohammed Siraj, a core player since 2018 with 83 wickets in 87 matches. “Not retaining him was our toughest decision. We value his contributions, having been a strong performer for RCB and India over the years. However, we wanted to enter the auction with as many options open as possible, especially to build a balanced bowling attack capable of competing effectively in the IPL and other formats,” he explained.
Additionally, the franchise expressed interest in retaining Australian all-rounder Cameron Green, who is currently recovering from back surgery and may miss the IPL season. Green had a solid season with RCB, having been traded from Mumbai Indians, where he scored 255 runs in 13 matches and took 10 wickets.
Bobat highlighted the team's strategy to strengthen their Indian core, which led to the retention of players like Patidar and Dayal. “Prioritizing a strong Indian core during the auction phase is crucial, and our retention reflects that decision. Retaining our players was a straightforward choice, especially given their performance last year,” he said.
Patidar had a standout season in IPL 2024, scoring 395 runs in 15 matches at an impressive strike rate of 177.13, including five half-centuries. He has accumulated 799 runs in 27 matches since his debut in 2021. Dayal led RCB’s bowling attack in the last season, taking 15 wickets in 14 matches at an economy rate of 9.15.
RCB managed to secure a playoff spot in IPL 2024, finishing fourth with 14 points after winning seven of their 14 matches, but their campaign came to an end following a four-wicket loss to Rajasthan Royals in the playoffs.
