Will the Chinnaswamy witness Virat Kohli pumping the crowd with his vigour and passion again in IPL 2025? It is a definite Yes. But will Virat Kohli be seen coming out to Toss for RCB in the IPL 2025? It looks like another affirmative answer.
The marathon affair of the IPL 2025 auction has just concluded, but the aftermath of the entire event shall continue for at least the next few weeks. Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the often most star-studded team in the IPL has formulated a decent squad for the upcoming cycle, starting from IPL 2025.

After retaining Virat Kohli, Yash Dayal and Rajat Patidar, the Challengers have gone to acquire 19 more players in the auction, with Josh Hazlewood being the most expensive at Rs 12.50 crore.
Rasikh Dar, a promising pacer from Jammu and Kashmir has been added while Bhuvneshwar Kumar also returned to the team. Krunal Pandya, Liam Livingstone and Phil Salt are their other flagship buys of the auction.
Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Yash Dayal, Liam Livingstone, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Dar, Suyash Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Nuwan Thushara, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethell, Devdutt Padikkal, Swastik Chikara, Lungi Ngidi, Abhinandan Singh, Mohit Rathee.
As the dust of the auction settles slowly, the franchise will have to move forward with their new-looked team for the next three seasons. This set of players will have to provide the elusive maiden title for RCB, something they have failed to achieve in the last seventeen attempts.
But who will be leading the Royal Challengers Bengaluru side after the departure of Faf du Plessis? The answer looks like a simple one, that is Virat Kohli.
It's impossible to talk about RCB captaincy without mentioning Virat Kohli. One of the most prolific players in IPL history, Kohli has been synonymous with RCB for over a decade. As captain, he led the team for nine seasons (2013-2021), guiding them to the playoffs multiple times, including a runner-up finish in 2016.
Matches as Captain: 143
Wins: 66
Win Percentage: 48.56
Despite the lack of a trophy, Kohli's leadership has been marked by his fierce passion, leading from the front with the bat, and his ability to inspire teammates. With the weight of captaincy off his shoulders since 2021, Kohli has thrived as a batter. However, bringing him back as captain could reignite RCB's pursuit of their elusive first IPL title, especially with a revamped squad in 2025. A return for the King to his throne for an unfinished business - looks set to happen at the Garden City again.
If one takes a look at the Royal Challengers Bengaluru squad, the entire team suggests Virat Kohli's return as the skipper.
Apart from Kohli, RCB's captaincy option is Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the veteran Indian pacer known for his calm demeanor and strategic thinking. But Bhuvneshwar is not tipped to captain a franchise such as RCB, while the other Indian option Krunal Pandya looks unlikely as well. England's Phil Salt has moved to RCB after his excellent season with Kolkata Knight Riders, but even Salt or Liam Livingstone may be a too big risk for RCB to appoint as captain at their very first season.
Kohli has reportedly shown interest in leading the team again. The RCB mainstay has endured a topsy turvy journey with the franchise, but looks ready to spearhead the team for at least the next cycle. Though the official confirmation is not present, current scenario indicates a re-coronation again.