NEW DELHI: Since Virat Kohli stepped down as captain of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) after the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, the team has experienced a mixed bag of results under the leadership of Faf du Plessis.
While RCB have managed to qualify for the playoffs in two out of the three seasons, they have struggled to maintain consistency and have failed to secure their maiden IPL title.
Under Faf du Plessis’s captaincy, RCB finished fourth in the 2022 IPL season after qualifying for the Eliminator. They won the Eliminator against Lucknow Super Giants but were subsequently eliminated by Rajasthan Royals in Qualifier 2.
In the 2023 season, RCB finished sixth with 14 points from 14 games, failing to make the playoffs.
The 2024 season saw RCB once again finish fourth, securing a spot in the Eliminator. However, their campaign came to an end as they were knocked out by Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator.
While du Plessis brought tactical acumen and a fresh perspective to the side, complemented by his strong individual performances, RCB continued to grapple with familiar challenges.
Over-reliance on key players and occasional inconsistency across matches remained persistent issues.
Despite that, the South African holds a better win/loss ratio of 1.00 than Kohli’s 0.94. Having managed 100 fewer games than the Indian, du Plessis, captaining 42 games for RCB, has a 50% winning rate, which also stands out in front of Kohli’s 46.15.
Kohli, despite not being the official captain, remained actively involved in a supporting role and was often seen in discussions with du Plessis during crucial moments.
The shift from Kohli to du Plessis as captain was an attempt by the franchise to reshape its identity and break the title drought that has eluded them for years.
However, the change in leadership has not yet translated into major success, as RCB continues their hunt for their first IPL trophy.
With du Plessis’s age (40) becoming a factor, reports suggest that Kohli is set to return as RCB captain from the 2025 IPL season.
The franchise is banking on Kohli’s experience, leadership qualities, and determination to finally break their title drought in the upcoming IPL campaign.