The streets around M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru turned into a sea of red on Monday as thousands of passionate Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fans gathered for the much-awaited RCB Unbox 2025 event. The franchise’s loyal supporters, known as the 12th Man Army, braved the scorching sun to catch a glimpse of their favorite cricketers in action.
The event kicked off with an open training session, where Virat Kohli stole the show, smashing powerful strokes into the stands, delighting the capacity crowd. As the evening progressed, the excitement soared with fun challenges among the players.
One of the standout moments saw Nuwan Thushara delivering a stunning toe-crushing yorker, rattling the stumps. Meanwhile, Romario Shepherd thrilled fans by launching two colossal sixes outside the stadium, drawing deafening cheers.
Rajat Patidar Takes Over as Captain
In an emotional moment, Rajat Patidar, the newly-appointed captain, received the captaincy plaque from Virat Kohli in front of the roaring crowd. Patidar expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support, saying:
“RCB is one of the biggest franchises in the world, and I have the best people around me. Thank you for giving me this opportunity, especially the fans for showing so much love in the past few weeks and accepting me in this role. I’ll make sure we do our best and give our everything.”
Virat Kohli’s Message to Fans
Kohli, the highest run-scorer in IPL history, was visibly excited for the new season. He said:
“It feels amazing to be back to this amazing city, amazing fans, and the excitement and happiness like every other season is high. I’ve been here for 18 years, and I absolutely love it. We have an amazing squad this time around, and a lot of talent. I’m personally very excited to get going for the season ahead.”
Grand Entertainment & RCB Squad Unveiling
RCB’s 22-man squad for IPL 2025 was officially introduced, with the loudest cheers reserved for Kohli and Patidar. The celebrations continued with rapper Hanumankind and Australian DJ Timmy Trumpet, who kept the crowd entertained with high-energy performances.
With an electrifying atmosphere and unwavering fan support, Royal Challengers Bengaluru is all set to begin their IPL 2025 campaign against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders on March 22.