In Match 34 of IPL 2025, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) suffered a five-wicket defeat to Punjab Kings (PBKS) in a rain-reduced 14-over game at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Tasked with defending a modest total of 95/9, RCB struggled to make an impact as PBKS comfortably chased down the target with more than an over to spare.

RCB’s disappointing performance could be traced to three key shortcomings: a misjudgment of the pitch conditions, a collapse in the middle order, and questionable decisions from the captain. These combined factors not only cost them the match but also raised concerns about their overall approach and adaptability in crunch situations.

1. Inability to Assess Pitch Conditions

The rain-affected surface offered uneven bounce and behaved unpredictably, yet RCB’s batters adopted an overly aggressive approach that backfired. Captain Rajat Patidar admitted post-match that the team “went too hard at the start” and failed to adapt to the conditions, resulting in a dramatic collapse at 42/7. Apart from Tim David’s valiant unbeaten 50 off 26 balls and Patidar’s 23 off 18, the rest of the batting lineup failed to contribute meaningfully, with eight players dismissed for single-digit scores. Against a relatively modest PBKS bowling attack, RCB’s inability to assess the pitch and adjust their game proved costly. Meanwhile, PBKS, led tactically by Shreyas Iyer, executed a clever bowling plan—employing hard and short lengths to exploit the pitch’s variable bounce, especially with some dew aiding them in the second innings. RCB’s misreading of the surface left them with a sub-par total and little chance of defending it.

Also Read: IPL 2025: PBKS vs RCB Match 37 - A Head to Head breakdown

2. Poor Performance of the Middle Order

RCB’s middle-order collapse only deepened their troubles. With early wickets of Phil Salt (4) and Virat Kohli (7), the responsibility fell on the remaining batters to stabilize the innings. However, Liam Livingstone (4), Jitesh Sharma (1), Krunal Pandya (1), and Manoj Bhandage (0) failed to rise to the occasion, showing little intent to build partnerships even as the situation demanded composure. The lack of adaptability was evident as they fell to poorly judged pull shots on a pitch offering extra bounce. Patidar later admitted that the team couldn’t form any meaningful partnerships in the middle overs. This collapse left RCB heavily dependent on Tim David’s explosive 50*, and despite Josh Hazlewood’s impressive 3/14, the team couldn’t recover. The middle order’s failure to read the conditions and steady the innings ultimately cost RCB a chance at posting a competitive total. This is not the first time that the middle order has looked brittle. 

Also Read: IPL 2025, Match 34: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Punjab Kings Full Match Highlights

3. Lackluster Captaincy

Patidar’s captaincy lacked the sharpness and foresight shown by Shreyas Iyer. While PBKS smartly opened with pacers Marco Jansen and Arshdeep Singh, holding back Harpreet Brar to exploit the seam-friendly conditions, RCB missed a crucial trick by not deploying their own pace duo—Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar—early on. Instead, Patidar introduced young spinner Suyash Sharma, who was immediately targeted by Nehal Wadhera (33* off 19), giving PBKS early momentum. Unlike Iyer’s proactive bowling rotations, Patidar appeared reactive, especially after the initial spells from Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar, allowing Punjab to comfortably chase 96 in just 12.5 overs. Post-match, Patidar admitted that their bowling strategy didn’t match the pitch conditions, particularly their underuse of pace on a surface offering movement.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain and rising India cricketer Rajat Patidar has etched his name in the IPL record books by becoming the second-fastest Indian to reach 1,000 runs in the tournament. This milestone further establishes Patidar as a serious contender for a future spot in India’s T20 international squad, thanks to his consistency and aggressive stroke play.

With this feat, Rajat Patidar trails only Gujarat Titans’ Sai Sudharsan, who remains the quickest Indian to reach the 1,000-run milestone, having achieved the landmark in just 25 innings. Patidar, on the other hand, reached the same mark in 30 innings, making him the fastest within the RCB franchise and placing him second overall among Indian batters. The top four fastest Indians to reach 1,000 IPL runs by innings are now led by Sudharsan (25), followed by Patidar (30), with legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar and Chennai Super Kings' Ruturaj Gaikwad tied in third place, each achieving the milestone in 31 innings.

Also read: IPL 2025 Points Table, Purple cap and Orange cap after Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) vs Punjab Kings (PBKS) Match No 34

1. Sai Sudharsan – 25 Innings

Gujarat Titans’ left-handed top-order batter has rapidly emerged as one of the most dependable young talents in the IPL. Sai Sudharsan’s calm demeanor at the crease and his ability to both steady the innings and shift gears when necessary have made him a crucial part of the lineup. Reaching 1,000 IPL runs in just 25 innings highlights his impressive maturity and adaptability. Known for his composed mindset and graceful shot-making, Sudharsan continues to earn praise for performing under pressure.

2. Rajat Patidar – 30 Innings

Climbing the ladder from domestic cricket to IPL prominence, Rajat Patidar has established himself as a key pillar in RCB’s batting order. Renowned for his elegant strokeplay and powerful hitting, Patidar reached the 1,000-run mark in just 30 innings—becoming the first Indian in IPL history to do so with an average over 35 and a strike rate above 150. His iconic century in the 2022 playoffs against LSG remains unforgettable for RCB fans. Now as captain, his batting anchors the team's campaign.

Also read:  RR vs LSG : Match 36 Weather and Pitch report IPL 2025

3. Sachin Tendulkar – 31 Innings

A legend in every sense, Sachin Tendulkar’s name speaks for itself. Despite featuring in only six IPL seasons, his influence was undeniable. Representing Mumbai Indians, he reached the 1,000-run milestone in just 31 innings, showcasing his adaptability in the shortest format of the game. Tendulkar won the Orange Cap in 2010, leading by example with his signature elegance and timeless technique, proving that age is no barrier in T20 cricket.

4. Ruturaj Gaikwad – 31 Innings

The Chennai Super Kings opener is the epitome of timing and elegance. Gaikwad stormed onto the scene with match-winning performances and consistency at the top of the order. He was the Orange Cap winner in 2021, showcasing his ability to score big runs while maintaining a solid strike rate. Reaching 1,000 runs in 31 innings placed him among the most promising future stars of Indian cricket, and he continues to be a key part of CSK’s title ambitions.

M Chinnaswamy Stadium (Bengaluru) will host the 24th match of the IPL 2025 on Thursday evening (April 10), Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Delhi Capitals (RCB vs DC). Here, we are going through the Dream11 top captains and vice-captains of the match. 

IPL 2025, Match 24: RCB vs DC Probable XIs

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Predicted Playing XI: Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar (Captain), Devdutt Padikkal/Suyash Sharma (Impact Player Sub), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal 

Delhi Capitals Predicted Playing XI: Faf du Plessis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Abishek Porel, Tristan Stubbs, KL Rahul (wk), Axar Patel (Captain), Ashutosh Sharma or Sameer Rizvi/Mukesh Kumar (Impact Sub), Kuldeep Yadav, Mitchell Starc, Mohit Sharma, Vipraj Nigam

See Also: IPL 2025: RCB vs DC – M. Chinnaswamy stadium stats and status preview

IPL 2025, Match 24: RCB vs DC Dream11 Top Captains And Vice-captains

Top 3 Captain choices

Virat Kohli: The leading run-scorer in IPL history, Virat Kohli started the IPL 2025 strongly as he has already hit two 50+ scores. The right-handed batter has provided strong starts with the scores of 59*, 31, 7, and 67.

Josh Hazlewood: RCB pacer Josh Hazlewood is in great form with the ball. Apart from picking up eight wickets in four matches, he has an economy rate of 7.76. 

KL Rahul: KL Rahul is an in-form batter who scored 77 runs in their last game to win the Player of the Match award for Delhi Capitals in the 25-run win against Chennai Super Kings. 

Top 3 Vice-captain choices

Axar Patel: All-rounder Axar Patel, who is also the captain of Delhi Capitals, is still waiting for his first wicket in the ongoing IPL season, while the left-handed batter has played the knocks of 22 and 21 runs. 

Rajat Patidar: New RCB captain Rajat Patidar is batting furiously in the IPL 2025 as he has a strike rate of 175.00. In this IPL season, he has scored 34, 51, 12, and 64 runs, respectively, and won the Player of the Match award in the last game. 

Krunal Pandya: After starting this IPL season with a Player of the Match award against the defending champions and hosts Kolkata Knight Riders for a three-wicket haul, Krunal Pandya took four wickets in their last game against Mumbai Indians to secure a close victory in the high-scoring game. 

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) skipper Rajat Patidar has been fined for maintaining a slow over-rate during Match 21 of the IPL 2025 against the Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. This being RCB’s first over-rate offence of the season under Article 2.2 of the IPL Code of Conduct, Patidar was handed a fine of INR 12 lakhs. For Level 1 violations, the Match Referee’s decision is final and binding.

Despite the penalty, Patidar had an outstanding outing as captain and batter. After MI opted to bowl first, RCB rode on aggressive knocks from Virat Kohli (67) and Devdutt Padikkal (37) before the skipper of RCB played a scintillating 64-run innings off just 32 balls, helping his team post an above-par total of 221/5 in their allocated 20 overs.

In the second innings, as MI threatened to snatch victory with Tilak Varma (56) and Hardik Pandya (42) at the crease, Patidar’s sharp captaincy and strategic use of bowlers turned the tide. RCB eventually sealed a thrilling 12-run win, ending a 10-year Wankhede losing streak. With this victory, RCB have solidified its standing on the IPL 2025 points table, climbing to third place with three wins from four matches. Meanwhile, MI have dropped to the eighth position, managing just one win from their five games so far.

Also Read: Watch: Phil Salt-Tim David unbelievable catch near the boundary line in MI vs RCB match IPL 2025

It was an amazing match: Rajat Patidar

The Madhya Pradesh cricketer said at the post-match party that it had been a really amazing and hard-fought match. He praised the bowlers for showing great courage, calling their performance incredible and stating that the award belonged to the entire bowling unit. He emphasized how difficult it was to stop any team at that ground, making the bowlers’ execution even more commendable. He specifically highlighted the fast bowlers' execution and Krunal Pandya’s final over, calling it fantastic and courageous.

"It was a really amazing match. It was very hard. The way the bowlers have shown their courage, it was amazing to watch. This award goes to the bowling unit. It is not easy to stop any team, especially at this ground, and the way they have done it, was incredible. The way the fast bowlers executed their plans was amazing. The way KP (Krunal Pandya) bowled that last over, it was not easy and the way he bowled was amazing. The way he has shown the courage was fantastic," the RCB skipper told at the post-match conference

Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Hardik Pandya was helpless when Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Rajat Patidar took the aerial route twice with unorthodox shots, guiding the ball to the boundary rope.

Read More: Watch: Phil Salt-Tim David unbelievable catch near the boundary line in MI vs RCB match IPL 2025

This was one of the most highlighted moments of the MI vs RCB, IPL 2025 match 20, when the leaders from these two teams faced off against each other. It was Patidar who made the final statement last night.

Hardik Pandya took the responsibility to bowl the 13th over of RCB's innings. Patidar was on the strike; Pandya delivered a good length, well out of the off-stump delivery, which Patidar dealt with his unique version of a ramp shot. The ball passed flying over the wicketkeeper's head for a boundary. In the same over, he managed to pull out another improvised shot for a 4. With those shots Patidar produced, Pandya had nothing to do; that was pure skill and fearless batting execution from the 31-year-old right-handed batter. Rajat bagged 64 off 32, with five 4s and four 6s with a 200.00 strike rate, which helped his team to exceed the total over 200 within the 20-overs limit.

In this Hardik Pandya over, Patidar avoided a possible serious injury. It was the delivery before the second boundary of the over; Patidar again tried something unique but could not execute it as he misjudged the bounce. The ball went straight and hit Patidar's helmet grill; the game paused for a moment, and medical assistants rushed onto the field for precautionary check-ups. Patidar was ready to bat after getting some treatment. At the following delivery of the incident, Patidar replied with the second boundary.

The target would have been 260+ if Bumrah missed match vs RCB.

- Absolute domination from batters.
- Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar were brilliant.
- Jitesh giving finishing touch.
- All MI bowlers conceded at 10+ economy except Bumrah.#MIvsRCB #MIvRCB pic.twitter.com/DrnXqUFK4i

— Inside out (@INSIDDE_OUT) April 7, 2025

Mumbai Indians tried hard but it was RCB's moment 

Batting first, RCB got 221 in exchange of 5 wickets on the scoreboard. Mumbai Indians tried hard to do chase the target. Despite Tilak Varma's 56 and captain Hardik Pandya's 42, Mumbai Indians could not make it to the finish line—RCB won by 12 runs. At the end of IPL 2025 match 20, RCB remains in the third spot with 6 points after 4 games, whereas Mumbai Indians are in 8th place with 2 points in 5 games.

The IPL 2025 game was played between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Royal Challengers Banglore (RCB), which was played in Mumbai. RCB haven't won in Mumbai for 12 years. Earlier RCB made a miraculous win beating CSK in Chennai after 17 years. RCB are in good form this year and the team combination looks superior. They have played four games in the season where they have won three and lost one that too in their home ground. 
MI are in serious trouble because they have lost three in four games and it was really an important one for them. Another good thing for MI in this game was their premium bowler Jasprit Bumrah was back on the field after the back injury that happened in the recent BGT series, he felt a back stretch, and He was unavailable for the Champions Trophy too, later which was won by India. Bumrah was in recovery in NCA and a few days ago it was stated that Bumrah had been given a clean chit to play the next game. Availability of him would have been the biggest boost to struggling MI. 

Read More: Total Lack Of Sensitivity' - Former India Captain slams ECB's decision to retire Pataudi Trophy
RCB With Their Third Win
RCB and MI entered this match with a loss, MI needed this victory at any cost because they had lost three games and were unlucky on a few occasions. MI captain Hardik Pandya won the toss and elected to field first. RCB were in charge with the bat but lost the wicket of Phil Salt in their first over itself. Despite losing the wicket RCB were cruising with runs with Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal on crease. 

Rajat Patidar credited the bowling unit for their remarkable win at Wankhede. 👌#Cricket #MIvRCB #IPL2025 #Sportskeeda pic.twitter.com/GNSVgtcZWh

— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) April 8, 2025

Though they were losing wickets in later sessions, but never settled to a low score, Virat Kohli made well made 67, Then it was taken charge by captain Rajat Patidar and Jitesh Sharma who finished the game superbly. RCB within their 20 overs of quota scored 221 with the loss of five wickets. Mumbai Indians had a mountain to climb. 
Patidar Credits His Bowlers
MI began their chase with Rohit Sharma included as an impact player, with a big total to chase Rohit began to attack the bowlers but couldn't last long.  Soon MI were 2 down which caused trouble. Though Surya Kumar and Tilak Varma recovered the damage. Tilak who retired in the n last match played an exceptional innings. Tilak scored a well-mad 6, but soon MI lost two wickets and Pandya tried his best to finish things off but got out at the end. MI lost the match by 12 runs and registered their fourth loss. 
RCB won the game, but they just didn't win the game they broke their losing streak in Mumbai after 12 years. Rajat Patidar was announced as man of the match and he dedicated this win to their bowlers, he states, That was a really amazing match. The way our bowlers have shown courage was amazing. To be honest, this award goes to the bowling unit because it is not easy to stop a batting unit on this ground, so the credit goes to them. The way the fast bowlers executed their plans was great. The way Krunal has bowled is amazing. In the last over, it was not easy, I think the way he has bowled and the courage he has shown is amazing.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defeated Mumbai Indians (MI) by 12 runs in an IPL 2025 match at the Wankhede Stadium. With this win, RCB registered their third victory of the season. Bengaluru had not won in Mumbai for the last 10 years. Their last win at Wankhede came in 2015. Since then, Mumbai had beaten them six times at home. This season, Bengaluru also broke their losing streak against Chennai by beating them after 17 years.

RCB secure win in Mumbai After 10 Years

RCB batted first and scored 222 runs. Phil Salt hit a four on the first ball, but got out on the next. Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal then attacked the bowlers. Padikkal scored 37 runs off 22 balls. He and Kohli added 91 runs together. Kohli made a fast half-century in 29 balls his quickest in IPL while batting first. He added 48 more runs with Rajat Patidar before getting out. After that, Patidar and Jitesh Sharma played powerful shots and took the team past 200. RCB scored 77 runs in the last 33 balls. Boult and Hardik Pandya took two wickets each for Mumbai.

ALSO READ: IPL 2025 Points Table, Purple Cap and Orange Cap after Mumbai Indians (MI) vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Match No 20

Chasing 222, Mumbai lost Rohit Sharma early. He was bowled by Yash Dayal for 17 runs. Ryan Rickelton also made 17 before getting out. Suryakumar Yadav and Will Jacks tried to settle things, but could not score quickly. After Jacks got out, Tilak Varma joined Surya. Tilak played well, but Surya struggled. Hardik Pandya then hit some big shots but got out at the wrong time. In the end, Mumbai could only score 209 runs in 20 overs. For RCB, Krunal Pandya took 4 wickets. Josh Hazlewood and Yash Dayal took 2 each. Bhuvneshwar Kumar took one wicket. This win was a big boost for Bengaluru as they continue their good form this season.

Twitter reactions after RCB wins 20th match of IPL 2025

Ye khelte rehate hai, Aankde bante rehate hai 🫶❤️#RCBvsMI pic.twitter.com/pDg6a8BIQL

— Paapi Gudiya😎 (@epic_meme00) April 7, 2025

#RCBvsMI
RCB fans are trolling me because their team defeated Mumbai Indians today.
Meanwhile me(MI fan): pic.twitter.com/bjUxEoz0za

— SACHIN SINGH RAJPUT (@ettitude_boii) April 7, 2025

~ JCB udan modhu RCB udan modhadhe

Congratulations RCB for winning 4th Title 🏆🔥 pic.twitter.com/dZ649cH9M3

— Video Memes (@VideoMemes_VM) April 7, 2025

3rd win for RCB 🔥@RCBTweets Team Win batting nd Blowing 🙌🏻 💪🏻 👏🏻 #RCBvsMI https://t.co/Mma12yExo4 pic.twitter.com/gufgXxlJfS

— Cheetah💫 ❶➇🌟 (@LovelyP08859215) April 7, 2025

RCB's win vs MI and CSK doesn't give them all the 10 trophies collected by those teams 🤣😂☝️ #MIvRCB
Now let's take a minute and laugh at this picture 🤣 😂#RohitSharma𓃵 RCB RCB Hardik Pandya pic.twitter.com/fFvX0vGYzP

— Klaasen better 💛 (@CSKlassen8467) April 7, 2025

ha bhai kya kh rha tha nhi jitege

RCB WON!!!#RCBvsMI #MIvsRCB pic.twitter.com/AyI8yemObL

— GAUTAM (@GautamKuma84) April 7, 2025

#RCB defeated
KKR ✅
CSK ✅
MI ✅, in their kingdom 🔥🔥
This is New @RCBTweets 🥵🥵🔥 pic.twitter.com/A2Qc8fnRgF

— The Movie Vault (@The_Movie_Vault) April 7, 2025

Hardik Pandya Bhai Bahut Maza Aariya Hai Dil Garden Garden Ho Ria Hai 😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣#MIvsRCB #MIvRCB #HardikPandya pic.twitter.com/ZRYkFdBwSJ

— chacha (@meme_kalakar) April 7, 2025

O BHAIII!! WE WON😭😭🥳
WHAT A MATCH😮‍💨#MIvsRCB pic.twitter.com/EpENrQ9HjE

— Wafia🍁 (@_banterblossom) April 7, 2025

What a match! #RCB takes down #MI in style- 3 wins out of their last 4! The fight is on, the spirit is high, and the Challengers are roaring back with passion and power! 🔥 💪#RCBvsMI#ViratKohli𓃵 #RajatPattidar#IPL2025 #PlayBold pic.twitter.com/QZqnjjyGJu

— RINKY (@Rinkyy05) April 7, 2025

Seth Ji Inki Pagar Badha Do 😂😂😂😂#MIvsRCB #MIvRCB #RCBvsMI #RCBvMI pic.twitter.com/HUOu0erGUm

— chacha (@meme_kalakar) April 7, 2025

rcb winning the match &
hardik winning hearts 🫀 instead
what a day🏊🏻‍♀️ #MIvRCB pic.twitter.com/iSdkJhSynC

— Avenger (@avengersreturn) April 7, 2025

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Rajat Patidar should thank his luck and modern cricketing gear, as he had just avoided a possible serious injury during the clash of the two juggernauts of the Indian Premier League, match number 20—Mumbai Indians (MI) vs. RCB.

Read More: “I Couldn't Crack IPL at First” – Kohli opens up on his Journey to greatness in IPL

During the third delivery of the 13th over of RCB's innings, MI skipper Hardik Pandya, then with his bowling duties, the ball went straight to Thudd in Patidar's helmet grill, which pushed him into a discomfort position for a while. Medical assistants rushed into the field for precautionary check-ups. Patidar was ready to bat after taking some treatment, and the match went on. At the following delivery of the incident, Patidar replied with a solid boundary. In fact, he executed a perfect ramp shot to send the ball to the fence.

 A delivery later, the right-handed batter again tried to do some heroics, but he missed the ball. Patidar misjudged the bounce this time. In this over, despite the incident, RCB fetched 11 runs without any hesitation.

RCB put a fighting total of 221 runs against MI

The match witnesses a returning Jasprit Bumrah from a long injury spell and MI's former leader Rohit Sharma, who missed their previous game. Bumrah produced a 4-over spell without claiming any wickets but didn't allow the batter to run freely. The star Indian pacer offered only 29 runs in his 4 matches with an economy rate of 7.25.

Despite losing the match to Phul Salt (4), RCB batters did not show any intention to gear down. Virat Kohli scored 67 off 42, giving his team the solid foundation for a mammoth total on the scoreboard. Fearless Patidar scored 64 with a 200.00 strike rate, and at the lower order, it was Jitesh Sharma who stitched a 40-run innings, allowing RCB to put 221 on the scoreboard.

On Wednesday evening (April 2), Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans (RCB vs GT) will be played at M Chinnaswamy Stadium (Bengaluru) during the 14th match of the IPL 2025. Let's check the top Dream11 captains and vice-captains for the match. 

IPL 2025, Match 14: RCB vs GT Probable XIs

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Predicted Playing 11: Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar (Captain), Devdutt Padikkal/Suyash Sharma (Impact Player Sub), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal 

Gujarat Titans Predicted Playing 11: Shubman Gill (Captain), Sai Sudharsan/Prasidh Krishna (Impact Players), Jos Buttler (wk), Sherfane Rutherford/Glenn Phillips, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Washington Sundar, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, R Sai Kishore

See Also: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans (RCB vs GT): Match 14, IPL 2025, Match Preview

IPL 2025, Match 14: RCB vs GT Dream11 Top Captains And Vice-captains

Top 3 Captain choices

Sai Sudharsan: In-form Sai Sudharsan started the IPL 2025 season strongly by scoring 74 and 63 runs in their first two matches against Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians. 

Krunal Pandya: All-rounder Krunal Pandya is a key name for RCB in the IPL 2025. Although he had a tough outing in their last game against Chennai Super Kings, Pandya won the Player of the Match award for his three wickets in the tournament opener against the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders. 

Rajat Patidar: RCB captain Rajat Patidar is in outstanding form with the bat. After scoring a stormy 34 off 16 balls in the tournament opener against the hosts Kolkata Knight Riders, Patidar scored a valuable, heroic 51 off 32 balls against the hosts Chennai Super Kings. 

Top 3 Vice-captain choices

Virat Kohli: The leading IPL run-scorer Virat Kohli is set to return to his favourite venue, M Chinnaswamy Stadium (Bengaluru). His fans are waiting for a great start for Kohli in Bengaluru in this IPL season, while he scored 59 not out and 31 runs in the first two matches of the IPL 2025. 

Phil Salt: English cricketer Phil Salt provided two strong starts for RCB with his opening partner Virat Kohli. After scoring 56 runs in the first game of the IPL 2025 with a strike rate of 180.64, Salt scored 32 runs with a 200 strike rate in the next fixture.  

Shubman Gill: Gujarat Titans captain and opener Shubman Gill started the IPL 2025 with the knocks of 33 and 38 runs, but he can play stronger in Bengaluru. 

IPL 2025 Emerging Captains: Who will be the successor of Rohit Sharma as the skipper in Team India? In every season, the Indian Premier League has produced some of the great talents in world cricket, like Surya Kumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and many more. But only a few cricketers have the capability to lead a team at the highest order. Before announcing his retirement from all cricket formats, Rohit Sharma will leave his legacy behind, which can put more pressure upon his successor. But who will lead the Men in Blue Brigade in the future, especially in Test and ODI formats? Let's find out. 

Read More: IPL 2025: KKR vs SRH Dream11 Prediction 15th Match Fantasy Cricket Tips, Probable Playing XI

In the ongoing IPL 2025, there are many franchises relying on young Indian blood to cherish their trophy-winning desire. Shubman Gill, Gujarat Titans captain, is already a speculated successor of Rohit Sharma for the Team India captaincy role. But there is yet no strong evidence that BCCI is considering Gill as the team's future leader. Along with Gill, there are at least two other captains who are now doing well in IPL 2025. 

Shreyas Iyer, who uplifted IPL last season as Kolkata Knight Riders skipper, is doing constantly well with Punjab Kings as a team captain and as a batter as well, which proves, under pressure, Iyer has the ability to deliver his best. The 30-year-old Mumbai-born batter has played unbeaten 97 vs. Gujarat Titans and an unbeaten 52-run against Lucknow Super Giants, which ensures Punjab Kings win both of the games. 

Rajat Patidar is evolving as a captain in this season as well. Under his captaincy, Royal Challengers Bengaluru is now the front runner to win IPL 2025. Like Punjab Kings, RCB also remains victorious in their two matches. Against KKR, Patidar scored 34 and 51 against Chennai Super Kings. 

On the other hand, under Gill's leadership, in two matches, Gujarat Titans won against Mumbai Indians and lost against Punjab Kings. In these two games, Gill scored 33 vs. PBKS and 38 vs. MI.