Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) built a strong squad comprising 22 players at the IPL 2025 mega auction. They had retained Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar and Yash Dayal before the event and bought 19 more players with Josh Hazlewood being the most expensive pick. Faf du Plessis was their captain for the last three years but they couldn't get him back at the auction. A new captain beckons for the star-studded in IPL 2025 and the speculations are already growing high around the same. Here are three captaincy options for RCB for the next edition of the cash-rich league:
1. Virat Kohli
Looking at the squad, the first and foremost option seems to be Virat Kohli. His name was doing the rounds ahead of the retention deadline itself and it is also being speculated that he increased his retention price to Rs 21 crore as he was going to become the captain. However, nothing is confirmed now with an RCB official declining all such reports later. But with no solid option available in the squad among Indian players, there is every chance of Kohli getting back the leadership duties if the franchise insists him to after willingly stepping down after IPL 2021.
2. Phil Salt
RCB splurged a massive amount of Rs 11.5 crore to secure Phil Salt's services. He had a breakthrough IPL season with KKR earlier this year amassing 435 runs in 12 innings at a strike rate of 182 for Kolkata Knight Riders with four fifties. He deserved to get a huge amount at the auction. Interestingly, England are possibly looking at him as the next captain in white-ball formats and has led the team in two T20Is this year, winning and losing each. In case, Kohli rejects the captaincy offer, Salt is very much likely to be named the skipper of RCB next season.
3. Liam Livingstone
Liam Livingstone will play for RCB next season for the first time next year. He was picked by the franchise for Rs 8.75 crore and is very likely to play the role of a finisher and an all-rounder as well. Livingstone played for Punjab Kings in the last three IPL editions scoring 827 runs in 30 innings with his strike rate going past 140 in all three years. Livingstone has led England in three ODIs so far, all this year, winning one and losing two. He is the third and final captaincy option for RCB next season.
