The 19th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to begin on March 28, with defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore facing off against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. RCB are heading into the season with renewed confidence after ending their 17-year title drought in 2025 under Rajat Patidar.
While Patidar led them to glory, the legacy of Virat Kohli As a captain, he has a deep influence. Having captained the franchise for many years, Kohli may not have lifted a trophy during his tenure, but his impact on the team culture and player development is undeniable. He remains the leading run-scorer in IPL history with over 8600 runs, and has played a vital role in nurturing talent who can excel at the international level.
Here are the three players favored by Virat Kohli as RCB captain in the IPL:
Devdutt Padikkal
Devdutt Padikkal The 20-year-old burst onto the scene in 2020 after a stellar domestic season where he topped the run charts in the white-ball tournament. He continued that form into the IPL and won the Emerging Player award in his debut season with 473 runs. Padikkal then had another impressive campaign, including a brilliant unbeaten 101 off 52 balls against Rajasthan Royals.
Under Kohli's guidance, Padikkal developed into a technically sound and versatile batsman, earning opportunities with the Indian national team in both Tests and T20Is. After a few seasons away, he returned to RCB in 2025 and scored 247 runs in 10 matches. His recent figures in domestic units have been impressive, but his early seasons are testament to what Kohli helped him unlock.
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