Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCB
Formerly Royal Challengers Bangalore (until 2023)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru have split their IPL captaincy into six eras since 2008. The longest ran nine seasons, under Virat Kohli. Win rate, playoff runs, titles and every other captain who led inside them.
Captains of Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Royal Challengers Bengaluru have been led by six captains in the IPL, the first taking charge in 2008. Two IPL titles came under Rajat Patidar, with Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis and three others also taking charge.
Each era is assigned to the season’s primary captain — whoever led most of that year’s matches. Other captains are named in each era below.
All Royal Challengers Bengaluru captains by matches led
Captain ↕ | Matches ↕ | W–L | Win % ↕ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | 142 | 68–71 | |
| Faf du Plessis | 42 | 21–21 | |
| Rajat Patidar | 28 | 20–8 | |
| Anil Kumble | 26 | 15–11 | |
| Daniel Vettori | 22 | 12–10 | |
| Rahul Dravid | 14 | 4–10 | |
| Kevin Pietersen† | 6 | 2–4 | |
| Jitesh Sharma† | 3 | 2–1 | 66.7% |
| Shane Watson† | 3 | 1–2 | 33.3% |
RCB's all-time 51.2% win rate
Led matches without ever being a season's primary captain. Win rate excludes abandoned and no-result matches; Super Over wins count.
RCB captaincy only — follow a name for that captain's full IPL record.
Rajat Patidar delivered RCB's first two IPL titles, in 2025 and 2026. Neither season missed the knockouts.
Patidar led 28 of the 31 matches this era covers; Sharma led three in 2025 and 2026.
RCB were a playoff side in two of three seasons under du Plessis, but no final followed.
Of the 45 matches this era covers, du Plessis led 42, with Kohli standing in for three in 2023.
Across nine seasons, Kohli led RCB to one final, in 2016, beaten by SRH. RCB posted 61 wins, along with three other playoff runs.
Of the era's 133 matches, 130 were led by Kohli and three by Watson in 2017.
Across two seasons, Vettori led RCB to one final, in 2011, beaten by CSK. RCB won 58.1% of its 31 matches.
This era covers 31 matches: Vettori led 22; Kohli led nine in 2011 and 2012.
Throughout two seasons, Kumble led RCB to one final, in 2009, losing to Deccan Chargers. RCB prevailed in 17 of 32 matches, along with another playoff run.
Of the era's 32 matches, 26 were led by Kumble and six by Pietersen in 2009.
In 2008, RCB won four of 14 matches under Dravid and fell short of the knockouts.
Season-by-season captaincy record for Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Every season, with the captain of each match. Open a season to see the order they led in.
| Match | Opponent | Captain | Result | Venue | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 May | GT | Patidar | Won | Away | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 26 May | GT | Patidar | Won | Away | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 22 May | SRH | Patidar | Lost | Away | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 17 May | PBKS | Sharma * | Won | Away | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 13 May | KKR | Patidar | Won | Home | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 May | MI | Patidar | Won | Home | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 07 May | LSG | Patidar | Lost | Away | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 30 Apr | GT | Patidar | Lost | Away | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 27 Apr | DC | Patidar | Won | Away | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 24 Apr | GT | Patidar | Won | Home | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 18 Apr | DC | Patidar | Lost | Home | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 15 Apr | LSG | Patidar | Won | Home | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 12 Apr | MI | Patidar | Won | Away | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 Apr | RR | Patidar | Lost | Away | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 05 Apr | CSK | Patidar | Won | Home | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 28 Mar | SRH | Patidar | Won | Home | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
A season with more than one captain — the era above is credited to whoever led most of it.
Away includes neutral venues.