AB de Villiers, the South African cricket legend, believes that Rajat Patidar’s biggest challenge as the new captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the upcoming IPL 2025 season will be dealing with insecurity. Patidar took over the captaincy from Faf du Plessis, who led the team for three seasons before being released ahead of the mega auction. De Villiers, who was part of RCB for 11 IPL seasons, emphasized the importance of Patidar pushing away doubts about himself and not comparing himself to past captains like Faf and Virat Kohli.
De Villiers advised Patidar to stay true to himself and not try to emulate the leadership styles of Kohli or du Plessis. He highlighted the need for Patidar to use the experience of senior players like Kohli and Andy Flower while remaining authentic in his approach to captaincy. De Villiers also addressed the unnecessary criticism faced by Kohli regarding his batting strike rate, acknowledging that external noise may have affected the star Indian batsman.
Regarding Kohli’s performance, De Villiers praised his ability to deliver when it matters most and expressed confidence in Kohli’s capabilities, especially with the support of a strong batting lineup. De Villiers noted that Kohli’s partnership with Phil Salt at the top of the order could alleviate pressure on him and allow him to continue playing his natural game. Overall, De Villiers believes that Kohli is currently enjoying his batting and does not need to change his approach, as he possesses the instincts to control the game effectively.
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