The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season begins with an electrifying encounter between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Eden Gardens on March 22. All eyes will be on the newly appointed captains—Rajat Patidar, leading RCB for the first time, and Ajinkya Rahane, tasked with guiding defending champions KKR.
Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has weighed in on the challenges both captains face, raising concerns about Patidar’s ability to maintain his batting form under the captaincy pressure and questioning whether Rahane can uphold KKR’s legacy after his unexpected appointment.
Rajat Patidar’s Leadership Under Scrutiny
Discussing RCB’s bold decision to appoint Patidar as captain, Chopra highlighted the franchise’s legacy of iconic leaders, including Anil Kumble and Virat Kohli. On his YouTube channel, Chopra expressed cautious optimism about Patidar’s ability to balance leadership and personal performance.
“Rajat Patidar is the new captain of a huge franchise… This team has had phenomenal captains. Now Rajat Patidar is there. Can he take them to glory? That will be a huge question, and how will his own batting be? You have become the captain, but it shouldn’t happen that the batter is lost. That is what we don’t want from the RCB point of view,” remarked Chopra.
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Patidar, who was retained by RCB after a stellar 2024 season where he amassed 395 runs at a strike rate of 177.13, faces immense expectations. Chopra stressed that while Patidar’s aggressive batting has been a key strength, it remains to be seen if his performance will stay unaffected while leading the side.
Rahane’s Late Appointment Raises Questions
Shifting focus to KKR, Chopra acknowledged Rahane’s vast experience but raised doubts about his late appointment as captain and the pressure of defending the title. Despite Rahane’s impressive leadership credentials—guiding India to a Border-Gavaskar Trophy triumph and Mumbai to Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy success—Chopra questioned whether Rahane was KKR’s first choice for the role.
“He was bought for ₹1.50 crore in the end. It seemed like it was an afterthought to give the captaincy to Ajju… The biggest challenge for Ajju is that it’s a winning team. Retaining the crown is far tougher than winning it for the first time,” Chopra observed.
As KKR looks to defend its title and RCB aims for its elusive first IPL crown, the spotlight will firmly be on Rahane and Patidar. Their ability to handle the immense pressure and maintain their individual performance will be critical in determining their teams’ fortunes this season.
