As the sun rises on March 20, 2025, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) find themselves in the thick of IPL fever. With just two days until their IPL 2025 season opener against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens on March 22, the franchise is abuzz with activity, anticipation, and the perennial hope of ending their title drought. Today, rcb today news are making headlines—both on the ground and online—as their revamped squad fine-tunes its preparations, fans dissect every update, and analysts weigh in on the team’s prospects. This 2000-word article dives into the latest RCB news on March 20, 2025, exploring their IPL 2025 squad, key developments, and the electric atmosphere surrounding one of the IPL’s most storied yet trophyless teams.
Today’s Headline: Final Prep in Full Swing
Rcb today news On this Thursday morning, RCB’s training camp at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium is the epicenter of attention. The team held a rigorous practice session yesterday, March 19, and today’s schedule includes a lighter workload—focused on strategy discussions and recovery—ahead of their travel to Kolkata tomorrow. Sources close to the camp report that head coach Andy Flower and captain Rajat Patidar conducted a closed-door meeting with the core group, including Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, and Josh Hazlewood, to finalize their XI for the opener. The mood, as described by a team insider to ESPNcricinfo, is “cautiously optimistic,” with players buoyed by the balance of their new-look squad.
Social media is alight with updates. A video of Kohli smashing cover drives in the nets, posted by RCB’s official X handle late yesterday, has garnered over 500,000 views by midday today. The caption—“King Kohli gearing up for #IPL2025”—has fans chanting “Ee Sala Cup Namde” (This year, the cup is ours) in the replies. Meanwhile, Phil Salt, who arrived in Bengaluru on March 18 after a brief stint with England, was spotted joking with Yash Dayal during a fielding drill, signaling early team chemistry.
The Unbox Event Aftermath
The RCB Unbox Event, held three days ago on March 17, continues to dominate conversations. The glitzy affair at Chinnaswamy saw the unveiling of the 2025 jersey—a sleek red-and-blue design with gold accents—and introduced both the men’s and women’s squads to a roaring crowd. Today, March 20, marks the first day the new jersey is available for purchase online, rcb today news with the RCB website crashing briefly this morning due to overwhelming demand. Priced at INR 2,999, the kit sold over 10,000 units by noon, per a Business Standard report, underscoring the franchise’s commercial clout.
The event wasn’t just a spectacle; it set the tone for rcb today news campaign. Flower’s speech, where he called this “the most balanced squad in years,” has been replayed across sports channels today. Patidar, stepping into the captaincy spotlight, promised an “aggressive yet smart” approach, a clip now trending on X with fans debating his leadership credentials. The Skills Challenge, pitting Kohli against Hazlewood in a batting-bowling duel, remains a talking point—Kohli’s six off the Australian’s bouncer is being hailed as a sign of his intent for 2025.
IPL 2025 Squad: Who’s in the Mix?
RCB’s squad for IPL 2025, finalized after the Jeddah mega auction, reflects a strategic overhaul. After retaining only three players—Kohli (INR 21 crore), Patidar (INR 11 crore), and Yash Dayal (INR 30 lakh)—the franchise went all out to build a versatile unit. Here’s the full roster as of today:
- Retained: Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar (c), Yash Dayal.
- Auction Buys: Phil Salt (INR 11.5 crore), Josh Hazlewood (INR 12.25 crore), Liam Livingstone (INR 8.75 crore), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (INR 11 crore), Jitesh Sharma (INR 11 crore), Krunal Pandya (INR 5.75 crore), Tim David (INR 5 crore), Devdutt Padikkal (INR 2 crore), Rasikh Salam (INR 2 crore), Suyash Sharma (INR 1.9 crore), Jacob Bethell (INR 2.5 crore), Romario Shepherd (INR 1.5 crore), Nuwan Thushara (INR 1.6 crore), Lungi Ngidi (INR 1 crore), Swapnil Singh (INR 50 lakh), Abhinandan Singh (INR 30 lakh), Swastik Chikara (INR 30 lakh), Mohit Rathee (INR 30 lakh), Manoj Bhandage (INR 30 lakh).
With 22 players, RCB have depth across departments. Today, the focus is on who makes the starting XI against KKR. A probable lineup circulating on X includes Salt and Kohli opening, Patidar at three, Livingstone at four, Jitesh as the keeper at five, Tim David at six, Krunal at seven, followed by Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar, Yash Dayal, and Suyash Sharma. However, Flower’s penchant for flexibility might see Shepherd or Bethell sneak in, depending on conditions.
Key Players in the Spotlight Today
- Virat Kohli: The 36-year-old icon is the talk of the town rcb today news. After a stellar 741-run IPL 2024, Kohli’s net form has analysts predicting another big season. A post on X from a fan at yesterday’s session—“Kohli looks hungrier than ever”—has 20,000 likes, reflecting the hype. With no T20I commitments, his IPL focus is absolute.
- Rajat Patidar: The new captain, thrust into the role after Faf du Plessis’ departure, faces scrutiny today. AB de Villiers, on JioStar this morning, praised Patidar’s 158.85 strike rate but cautioned that leading Kohli and co. will test his mettle. Patidar’s press conference yesterday, where he said, “I’ll lean on Virat bhai for advice,” has reassured some skeptics.
- Phil Salt: The English opener, signed for INR 11.5 crore, is generating buzz after his 182 strike rate in IPL 2024 with KKR. Today, he’s expected to face Bhuvneshwar in the nets, a matchup fans hope will translate to on-field fireworks.
- Josh Hazlewood: RCB’s priciest buy at INR 12.25 crore, Hazlewood arrived in camp on March 16. His Instagram story today—“Ready to roll with RCB”—has fans excited about his return after a stint in 2021-22.
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar: Back with RCB after a decade, the swing maestro (INR 11 crore) is a sentimental favorite. His comments to NDTV Sports yesterday—“It feels like coming home”—are trending today.
Today’s News Highlights
- Ticket Sales Surge: Tickets for RCB’s first home game against Gujarat Titans on April 2 went live yesterday on BookMyShow, ranging from INR 2,300 to INR 42,000. By this afternoon, over 60% of the Chinnaswamy allocation was sold, per IndianExpress.com, with fans scrambling for Kohli’s return.
- Kohli’s Milestone Watch: Today, media outlets like BBC Sport noted that Kohli is 259 runs shy of 8,000 IPL runs—a milestone he could hit this season. Fans on X are already calling it a formality.
- Injury Update: No major concerns today, though Lungi Ngidi, nursing a minor hamstring tweak, is unlikely to feature in the opener, per a team statement. Yash Dayal’s rise as a left-arm option has eased worries.
- Fan Frenzy: X posts today include a viral meme of Patidar captioned, “New captain, same dream,” alongside a photo of RCB’s 2016 final loss. The 12th Man Army is in full voice, with #RCB trending regionally.
Strategic Insights for IPL 2025
RCB’s 2025 squad addresses past Achilles’ heels. Their bowling, once a weak link, now boasts Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar, and Dayal as a potent pace trio, with Nuwan Thushara’s slingy action and Ngidi’s bounce as backups. Spin remains a question mark—Krunal and Suyash lack the pedigree of a Rashid Khan—but Livingstone’s off-breaks add utility. The batting, led by Kohli and Salt, has depth with David and Padikkal, who smashed 82 in a practice match last week.
Today, Flower told reporters at a brief media interaction, “We’re not just here to entertain; we’re here to win.” This shift from RCB’s historically flamboyant, batting-centric style to a pragmatic, all-round approach is evident. However, the Eden Gardens opener against KKR’s mystery spinners—likely Narine and Chakravarthy—will test this resolve early.
The Bigger Picture: Title or Bust?
RCB’s IPL 2025 journey carries extra weight for Kohli, who turns 37 in November. After three final losses (2009, 2011, 2016) and a playoff exit in 2024, the clock is ticking. Today, Michael Clarke on Star Sports predicted RCB as “dark horses,” citing their bowling upgrades. Yet, former spinner Shadab Jakati’s NDTV critique—that RCB historically over-rely on a few stars—lingers as a cautionary note.
The schedule offers hope: four of their last six games are at Chinnaswamy, where their batting could dominate. But it all starts with KKR in 48 hours—a clash pitting RCB’s new balance against the champions’ cohesion.
Conclusion: March 20 Sets the Stage
As March 20, 2025, unfolds, RCB are a team in transition yet brimming with potential. Today’s news—Kohli’s form, Patidar’s leadership, the squad’s depth—paints a picture of a franchise ready to shed its “nearly men” tag. The Unbox Event ignited the spark, and now, with travel to Kolkata looming tomorrow, the focus sharpens. Fans, analysts, and players alike sense this could be different. Whether it’s Kohli’s swan song or Patidar’s breakout, RCB’s IPL 2025 story begins now. Two days to go—game on.
