'Virat Kohli Needs To Be The Captain Of...': AB de Villiers Shares Insights On RCB's Squad Ahead Of IPL 2025

Indian Premier League: Former South African cricketer AB de Villiers shared insights on Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) squad for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 and said that the talisman batter Virat Kohli needs to play a special role in the team. Kohli has been the only cricketer in the IPL who has been playing for just one franchise since the beginning of the T20 tournament. Both De Villiers and Kohli have been RCB teammates from 2011 till the 2021 season.

The Bengaluru-based franchise will play in the opening fixture of the IPL 2025 on March 22 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the iconic Eden Gardens. 

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Virat needs to be the captain of the batting department: AB de Villiers

While speaking at the JioStar Press Room on Tuesday, AB de Villiers gave his honest opinion on RCB and said that Kohli needs to lead the franchise's batting lineup. The former cricketer added that the 36-year-old Indian needs to save the RCB batting lineup from getting collapsed. He added that Phil Salt's presence in the RCB squad will take a lot of pressure off Kohli.

“Virat needs to be the captain of the batting department in this tournament and really just keep things together, play smart cricket to make sure they don't find those collapses in the batting order. Salt is one of the most attacking players we've ever seen. I think he's going to take a lot of pressure off Virat. Virat needs to continue what he's been doing for so many years...control the game, play smart cricket. He's got the best instinct of any player out there. He knows when to up the ante a bit and when to lower it,” De Villiers said at JioStar Press Room as quoted by PTI.

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Virat Kohli is the highest run-scorer in IPL history

Kohli has played 252 matches in the extravaganza tournament, scoring 8004 runs at a strike rate of 131.97. He slammed eight centuries and 55 fifties in IPL. In the last season, RCB qualified for the knockout stage of the tournament but their journey came to an end in the play-off when they conceded a four-wicket defeat against Rajasthan Royals.