India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, recently acquired by Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2025 mega auction, predicts that Virat Kohli will lead Royal Challengers Bangalore in the upcoming season. Ashwin noted that RCB did not explore any other leadership options during the auction, indicating that Kohli is likely to continue as captain as the team aims for their first IPL title.
Former RCB player AB de Villiers also expressed his belief that Kohli will captain the team in the next season. Kohli had previously stepped down as captain after the 2021 season.
Ashwin praised RCB’s auction strategy, commending the franchise for their measured approach in acquiring players like Tim David, Josh Hazlewood, Phil Salt, Liam Livingstone, and Jitesh Sharma. RCB opted not to use their right-to-match cards for players like Mohammed Siraj, Glenn Maxwell, Faf du Plessis, and Will Jacks.
The RCB management clarified during the auction that they had not made a decision regarding the team’s leadership, despite Kohli’s prominent role in the squad.
The team’s Director of Cricket, Mo Bobat, stated, “Virat is a central figure, he is a senior member of the team. But we haven’t made any decision when it comes to captaincy. We will decide later on.”
RCB’s squad for IPL 2025 includes players like Virat Kohli, Josh Hazlewood, Phil Salt, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Ashwin believes that RCB had a successful auction by focusing on building a balanced team and waiting for the right players to fit their strategy.
Overall, Ashwin’s prediction and analysis suggest that RCB is gearing up for a promising season under Kohli’s leadership.
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