Bengaluru, March 17: Indian cricket star Virat Kohli has given his full support to Rajat Patidar, the new captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Kohli believes that Patidar has all the qualities needed to lead the team successfully for a long time.

Patidar has taken over the captaincy from Faf du Plessis, who has moved to Delhi Capitals for the IPL 2025 season. Speaking at RCB’s Unbox event, Kohli, who led RCB for over a decade, praised the young batter’s leadership skills. "This guy will lead you for a long time. He has all the qualities to do a great job," Kohli told RCB fans.

Despite RCB never winning an IPL title, Kohli remains hopeful for IPL 2025. "It feels great to be back. The excitement is the same as every season. I have been with RCB for 18 years and I love this team. This year, we have an amazing squad with lots of talent, and I am very excited," Kohli said. This will be his first IPL after retiring from T20 Internationals. Patidar, who has been a key player for RCB and has represented India, expressed his happiness. "Legends like Virat bhai, AB de Villiers, and Chris Gayle have played for RCB. I love this franchise and I am proud to lead one of the biggest teams in T20 cricket," said Patidar.