Sports
AB de Villiers Backs Virat Kohli to Steer RCB’s Batting in IPL 2025
South Africa’s cricket icon AB de Villiers has thrown his weight behind Virat Kohli, urging the Indian star to take charge of Royal Challengers Bangalore’s batting lineup in IPL 2025—captain or not. With Rajat Patidar stepping up as RCB’s new skipper, de Villiers insists Kohli’s smarts and steel are the key to ending Bengaluru’s trophy drought. Here’s the lowdown from his JioStar Press Room take.
De Villiers: Kohli’s the Batting Boss
On Monday’s JioStar chat, de Villiers didn’t mince words—Kohli’s the linchpin, even without the armband.
- Strike Rate? Chill: “He doesn’t need to jack up his strike rate with Phil Salt smashing it—most attacking guy out there,” de Villiers said. Kohli’s 149.56 from IPL 2024 backs that—708 runs, no sweat (ESPNcricinfo, March 18).
- Game Sense King: “Virat’s got the best cricket brain—knows when to push, when to anchor. He’s loving it again,” he added, nodding to Kohli’s 2024 resurgence post-T20 World Cup glow.
- Unofficial Captain: With Patidar helming officially, de Villiers wants Kohli as “batting department captain” to stop RCB’s classic mid-innings nosedives—think 49 all out in 2017 (Cricbuzz, March 17).
Shutting Down the Haters
De Villiers had Kohli’s back against the doubters too.
- Noise Filter: “Last few seasons, the criticism’s been overblown—strike rate this, aggression that. But Virat’s always tuned it out when he steps up for RCB,” he said. X’s buzzing with “ABD knows” posts—fans agree (RoyalFanatic, March 18).
- Mind of Steel: Post-2022 slump, Kohli’s roared back—1,000+ runs in 2024 across formats. “Pressure’s just fuel for him now,” de Villiers grinned (Times of India, March 18).
Patidar’s Big Shoes
Rajat Patidar’s got the captaincy gig—first IPL shot at it—but de Villiers sees hurdles.
- Legend Shadow: “Stepping in after Faf and Virat? That’s heavy. Rajat’s got to dodge insecurity—be himself, not a copycat,” he warned. Patidar’s 404 runs last season say he’s got chops (IPL stats).
- Support Crew: “Lean on Kohli’s experience and Andy Flower’s brain—new coach, new vibe. That’s his edge,” de Villiers advised. Flower’s Test nous could steady the ship (The Hindu, March 16).
- Schedule Grind: RCB’s 2025 slate—home-away-home-away—kicks off March 23 vs. Punjab Kings in Mohali. Travel fatigue’s real (BCCI X, March 15).
RCB’s Edge—and Gap
De Villiers loves the firepower but flagged a hole.
- Heavy Hitters: Salt, Livingstone, David, Shepherd—“Explosive doesn’t cut it; they’re bombs,” he said. Add Kohli’s glue, and it’s a 200+ lineup (Sportstar, March 17).
- Spin Worry: “Krunal Pandya’s solid, but where’s the X-factor spinner? You need a wristy game-changer for Chinnaswamy’s flat decks,” he mused. X fans echo: “No leggie, no trophy” (RCB12thMan, March 18).
The Wrap-Up
AB de Villiers sees IPL 2025 as RCB’s shot—Kohli steering the batters, Patidar finding his feet, and a squad stacked with dynamite. But that spin gap? It’s the itch they can’t scratch yet. With fans chanting “Ee Sala Cup Namde” louder than ever and Kohli “enjoying it” (per ABD), Bengaluru’s banking on this duo to ditch the bridesmaid tag. March 23’s the starting gun—watch this space.
