Moeen Reveals RCB Considered Dropping Kohli in 2019
Former England cricketer Moeen Ali has revealed that Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) once considered removing Virat Kohli from captaincy during the 2019 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Moeen disclosed that senior wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel was in contention to replace Kohli as the skipper that year.
Kohli led RCB from 2013 to 2021 but never secured an IPL title during his captaincy. Though he had a standout 2016 season where RCB reached the final, the team frequently finished in the bottom half of the table in subsequent years. Moeen’s comments suggest that internal discussions around Kohli’s leadership were active during Gary Kirsten’s tenure as head coach.
According to Moeen, “Parthiv was in line to become RCB captain. He had a brilliant cricketing brain. That was the talk at the time.” However, the change never materialized.
Parthiv’s Near-Miss and RCB’s Turnaround Years Later
Parthiv Patel, who ended his IPL career in 2019 with 2,848 runs in 139 matches and multiple titles with CSK and MI, was reportedly a strong candidate for the RCB captaincy. Moeen emphasized that while discussions were serious, the final decision favored retaining Kohli.
RCB eventually moved on from Gary Kirsten ahead of the 2020 season, appointing Simon Katich as head coach. However, it was under Andy Flower’s leadership that RCB finally claimed their maiden IPL title, with Rajat Patidar playing a crucial role in the final win over Punjab Kings.
Kohli stepped down as captain in 2021, citing workload management. Though criticized for not winning a title as skipper, his influence and performances remain integral to the franchise’s identity. Moeen’s revelation adds another layer to the complex narrative of Kohli’s RCB journey.
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