RCB IPL 2025 – Rajat Patidar, Virat Kohli & Team Spirit Drive Final Journey

RCB’s 2025 Final Run: Brotherhood, Brilliance, and Belief

Summary

The IPL 2025 campaign has delivered countless moments of thrill, heartbreak, and heroism but few narratives come close to the story woven by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). As chronicled in Collective Excellence and Camaraderie: Episode 2, RCB’s rise to the final wasn’t just built on stats it was built on shared effort, selfless play, and the quiet, commanding leadership of Rajat Patidar.

In an RCB season fuelled by intent, support, and growth, players from Virat Kohli to Romario Shepherd embodied a philosophy of unity. This wasn’t just a team it was a band of brothers hunting a common dream.

RCB’s Early Momentum: Away Wins Set the Tone

When RCB’s 2025 IPL season kicked off, few foresaw the kind of cohesion that would define their campaign. Mo Bobat, Director of Cricket at RCB, recalled how the team’s string of early away victories built momentum that would shape the rest of their run.

Victories in traditionally tough venues like Chennai and Mumbai weren’t just crucial—they were symbolic. RCB weren’t waiting to warm up. They were ready from ball one. That initial surge gave them confidence, and even when early home performances wobbled, the team stayed grounded. Once they cracked their home conditions, it was game on.

What stood out this season was how many different players claimed Player of the Match awards. This wasn’t a one-man show. It was a genuine squad effort, where match-winners emerged from every corner of the XI. That spread of impact showed RCB’s internal culture at work—one where trust, belief, and roles were clearly defined.

Rajat Patidar: RCB’s Calm Amid the Chaos

Stepping into the role of RCB captain in a tournament as demanding as the IPL isn’t easy. Doing it with grace, consistency, and humility is near impossible. Yet, Rajat Patidar did just that. Dinesh Karthik was full of admiration, remarking how Patidar remained untouched by the pressures of leadership.

Patidar’s temperament became RCB’s secret weapon. He led not with noise, but with quiet confidence. Bobat praised his ability to lean on others—whether it was Jitesh Sharma as vice-captain, senior voices like Virat Kohli, or strategic contributors like Krunal Pandya and Josh Hazlewood. It was a collaborative, ego-free captaincy model.

There was no forced intensity, no brash decisions. Just clear, calm leadership. Patidar allowed his players to be themselves—and in return, they gave their all for him.

The Kohli Standard: Precision, Preparation, and Passion

No RCB story is complete without mentioning Virat Kohli, and his 2025 season reaffirmed why he’s still one of the game’s most revered figures. Karthik compared Kohli’s elite mindset to that of Kobe Bryant and Novak Djokovic—not because of the flair, but because of the process.

Kohli’s commitment behind the scenes—his discipline, routines, and prep work—is what sets him apart. According to Bobat, what elevates Kohli further is his refusal to retreat. In crunch moments, he always opts for the aggressive choice. That’s not recklessness—it’s conviction.

One of the season’s most enjoyable tactical nuances was watching the Kohli-Phil Salt partnership unfold. While Salt often played the aggressor, there were crucial phases where Kohli flipped the script and attacked based on matchups. Their synergy at the crease wasn’t just tactical—it was instinctual. They ran hard, they read each other perfectly, and above all, they trusted each other.

Salt captured it best: “If we hit a boundary early, Kohli’s running down the wicket saying, ‘kill him.’ That’s the kind of clarity and intent that lifts the entire team.”

Krunal Pandya and the Power of Passion

Few players bring as much raw emotion to the field as Krunal Pandya. His return to form with the bat was a redemption arc long in the making. Pandya spoke openly about the challenges he faced rediscovering rhythm, and how internal belief—and patience—carried him through.

But it’s not just skill that defines Krunal. It’s his fire in pressure moments. Karthik highlighted his presence when matches are on a knife’s edge: seething, determined, desperate to make something happen. Every squad needs a warrior, and Krunal was that man.

The Unsung Heroes: Tim David and Romario Shepherd

As far as versatility goes, Tim David might just be RCB’s MVP in terms of value off the spotlight. While his power-hitting is well known, it was his fielding—especially that last-gasp catch against Mumbai—that turned heads. But what truly defines David is his impact off the field.

Karthik described him as the glue in the squad someone who made everyone feel seen and valued, whether they had 300 caps or none. “Every team wants a Tim David,” he said, “but there’s only one.”

Romario Shepherd, too, brought his own brand of joy. Ever-smiling and always learning, Shepherd’s work ethic and positive vibe added richness to RCB’s dressing room. His hunger to improve, especially in his bowling variations, was apparent during the mid-season nets and it translated into match-defining spells.

RCB’s Identity in 2025: Culture Over Chaos

The story of RCB’s journey to the IPL 2025 Final isn’t about a sudden rise or a miracle turnaround. It’s about gradual building an intentional focus on culture, clarity of role, and the right blend of youth and experience.

From Patidar’s humility to Kohli’s unrelenting standards, from Krunal’s fire to Salt’s freedom, this was a team sculpted by purpose. Off the field, they were brothers. On the field, they were battlers. And every single member be it Hazlewood steaming in or Shepherd smiling on played a role.