IPL 2025: 5 players to watch out for RCB ft. Rajat Patidar

With the buzz building up for IPL 2025, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are set to encounter what could be a make-or-break year in their quest for a first title. With a mix of new blood, old war horses, and a new leadership, RCB are set to make a difference in the upcoming season. Let’s have a look at five key players who could play a crucial role in their title aspirations.

5 players to watch out for RCB in the upcoming IPL 2025

Rajat Patidar (captain)

Replacing Faf du Plessis, then ew captain, Rajat Patidar has bheen entrusted with the captaincy of the RCB side in IPL 2025. Virat Kohli has strongly endorsed his captaincy and believes that Patidar is te face of the future of the franchise. With his graceful stroke play and ability to hold up an innings, Patidar has been a mainstay of the RCB middle-order over the past few years.

Having already made his mark with his cricketing achievements in domestic cricket and previous IPL seasons, the Madhya Pradesh batter will now also carry the added burden of captaining the team tactically and strategically. With Kohli’s leadership and the team behind him, all attention will be on Patidar’s batting and leadership as RCB targets a historic season.

Swastik Chikara

The pick of young guns for RCB this season is Swastik Chikara, a promising homegrown batter purchased at the INR 30 lakhs price point in the IPL 2025 Mega Auction. Chikara is a pinch-hitting batter and has impressed with his ability in domestic T20s.

Prior to his maiden IPL match, Chikara’s signing is the newest instance of RCB’s medium-term strategy of placing its bets on young Indians. The franchise will be looking for him to deliver immediately, especially under duress. With a power-hitting top order, Chikara will also get the chance to learn from seasoned campaigners like Kohli , who might help him be at his best in his first season in the IPL.

Jacob Bethell

One of RCB’s most important overseas purchases this year is England’s talented all-rounder Jacob Bethell, who was purchased for INR 2.6 crores. The left-handed big-hitting batsman and occasional left-arm spinner has already established himself in franchise and domestic T20 cricket with a strike rate of 140.77 in 63 innings.

Bethell’s ability to play in different areas of the game makes him a cut above the rest in terms of being a value addition to the RCB team. He is a depth middle-order batsman who can also be a valuable asset with the ball in certain situations. His hard-hitting ability can be of immense value for RCB to seal games for them, making him a player to watch out for this season.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

An experienced IPL campaigner, Bhuvneshwar Kumar will provide RCB’s bowling unit with a lot of experience and skill. A leader of Sunrisers Hyderabad in the previous years, Bhuvneshwar’s inclusion might be a huge boost for RCB’s bowling unit, particularly in the death overs and powerplay.

With more than 180 IPL wickets at a mean of 27.23, Bhuvneshwar is still among the most consistent pacers of the tournament. His new-ball ability to swing and deliver spot yorkers in death overs will be RCB’s game-changer bowler in IPL 2025, especially in high-pressure matches when defending totals and holding back opposition teams’ batters will be the key strategy. As long as Bhuvneshwar is fit and in good touch, his bowling unit captaincy will be the game-changer for RCB in IPL 2025.

Also READ: IPL 2025: Salary of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) players; check out how much Virat Kohli and Bhuvneshwar Kumar earn

Romario Shepherd

West Indian all-rounder Romario Shepherd is one of the most exciting new entrants in the squad of RCB, who acquired him at INR 1.5 crores. With his game-changing batting towards the lower end of the order and the ability to change games with an overs, Shepherd can be the X-factor of RCB for this season.

His recent performance at the RCB Unbox event provided the supporters with a glimpse of his big-hitting capability, as he hit the ropes with ease. With the potential to offer quick runs during the death overs and also contribute with the ball, Shepherd may be a valuable asset in RCB’s death overs finish, which has been a weak link in the team in the past seasons.

Can RCB end their trophy dry spell in 2025?

Since this IPL 2025 is going to begin on March 22, the RCB fans would be eagerly waiting to see their team play their first match against Kolkata Knight Riders. The team has invested wisely in building a balanced team with a mix of leadership, experience, and new talent, and they are well placed to break their long title drought.