India, Sept. 6 -- Rajat Patidar's appointment as Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain ahead of IPL 2025 had carried a significant Virat Kohli influence. After RCB released Faf du Plessis, who had led the side for three seasons, there was considerable anticipation over whether Kohli could return to the captaincy he had relinquished after the 2021 season.

The franchise eventually went in a different direction. During discussions over the next captain, RCB's management spoke to Kohli about Patidar as a potential choice, and the former skipper strongly backed his name. Kohli's faith in Patidar was based not merely on his performances with the bat but also on the qualities he had observed in him within the dressing room.

That support became p...