NEW DELHI: Just two years ago, it seemed like a distant dream when Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) were eliminated by Rajasthan Royals in the IPL Eliminator. Fans left the stadium in tears. Last night, tears flowed again, but this time from joy. RCB have now won two IPL titles in a row, cementing their dominance after successfully defending their crown against Gujarat Titans (GT) in Ahmedabad on Sunday evening. It was a complete team effort throughout the season, with all nine other teams struggling against Rajat Patidar's men.
RCB's Dominant Campaign
This season, RCB won 11 matches, including nine in the league stage, Qualifier 1, and the final. It was a display of complete domination by the Bengaluru-based franchise. As captain Patidar said ahead of the tournament, they were not defending but chasing another title.
How RCB Outclassed GT
RCB maintained their attacking approach throughout the season, with the captain leading from the front by hitting the most sixes (42) for the team. Virat Kohli continued his stellar form, finishing as RCB's leading run-scorer once again. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Salam Dar, Suyash Sharma, and Jacob Duffy stepped up with the ball, while Krunal Pandya and Venkatesh Iyer showcased their all-round brilliance. It was the complete team performance that RCB had planned for.
RCB in IPL 2026: 11 Wins, 5 Losses
RCB started their campaign with a dominant six-wicket victory against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru, followed by a win against Chennai Super Kings. Their first loss came against Rajasthan Royals when Vaibhav Sooryavanshi stole the show. However, they bounced back with consecutive wins against Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants, before a defeat to Delhi Capitals. They responded again with back-to-back victories against Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans.
After the first half of the season, RCB suffered consecutive defeats for the first time against Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants. However, they bounced back brilliantly with a last-ball win against Mumbai Indians, powered by Krunal Pandya's fiery 73, one of the finest knocks of his IPL career. They carried that momentum forward with victories against Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings. RCB then suffered their biggest defeat of the season against Sunrisers Hyderabad but recovered strongly with back-to-back wins over Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 and the Final.
Reason Behind RCB's Success
Batting Dominance Not Dependent on Virat Alone
RCB used to rely heavily on Virat Kohli. If he failed, the team often collapsed. But this season, RCB's batting unit showed complete dominance. Virat Kohli finished with 675 runs, while captain Rajat Patidar led from the front with 501 runs. Devdutt Padikkal supported Kohli brilliantly and scored 464 runs. Tim David and Krunal Pandya strengthened the middle order with 305 and 226 runs respectively. The collective dominance of the batting unit gave RCB tremendous depth and confidence to overcome any challenge.
Bowling Masterclass
Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood continued to trouble opposition batters throughout the season. Whenever Hazlewood was unavailable, Duffy stepped in and led the pace attack alongside Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Rasikh Salam Dar. Along with Krunal Pandya, every bowler contributed wickets at crucial moments whenever the team needed them. RCB picked up 104 wickets during the season, led by Bhuvneshwar's 28 wickets. Every bowler's contribution was just as important as the batters' dominance.
IPL 2026: RCB Report Card
Top Performers for RCB
RCB's successful IPL 2026 title defence was built on contributions from several key players. Virat Kohli led from the front with 675 runs in 16 innings at an average of 56.25 and a strike rate of 165.85, proving once again why he remains the backbone of the franchise. Captain Rajat Patidar elevated both his leadership and batting, scoring 501 runs, including a stunning unbeaten 93 off 33 balls in Qualifier 1 against Gujarat Titans that powered RCB into the final. Bhuvneshwar Kumar spearheaded the bowling attack with 28 wickets in 16 matches, combining control and swing while also delivering crucial lower-order contributions with the bat when needed. Krunal Pandya continued his reputation as RCB's silent hero, contributing 226 runs and 14 wickets, becoming the first player in franchise history to achieve the 200-run and 10-wicket double in a single season.
Small Contributions, Big Impact
Phil Salt suffered an injury midway through the season, which gave Jacob Bethell an opportunity. He played seven innings but could not quite replicate the form that made him a standout performer at the T20 World Cup. RCB gave a chance to Venkatesh Iyer, who made the limited opportunities count with a big impact, scoring 209 runs in just six innings at a strike rate of 186.61. His impactful knocks in the playoffs and final proved crucial in RCB's journey to back-to-back IPL titles.
Duffy stepped up when Hazlewood was unavailable and impressed so much that RCB opted to play both Duffy and Hazlewood during the playoffs. Rasikh Salam Dar complemented Bhuvneshwar brilliantly and picked up 19 wickets, while Suyash Sharma endured a mixed season but remained economical and finished with nine wickets.
Top Bowlers
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar: 16 matches, 28 wickets, best 4/23, avg 17.89, econ 7.95, sr 13.5, 1 four-wicket haul
- Rasikh Dar: 12 matches, 19 wickets, best 4/24, avg 21.31, econ 9.45, sr 13.52, 1 four-wicket haul
- Josh Hazlewood: 13 matches, 15 wickets, best 4/12, avg 32.93, econ 9.59, sr 20.6, 1 four-wicket haul
- Krunal Pandya: 16 matches, 14 wickets, best 2/16, avg 30.35, econ 8.41, sr 21.64
- Suyash Sharma: 12 matches, 9 wickets, best 2/47, avg 41.77, econ 9.2, sr 27.22
Top Batters
- Virat Kohli: 16 matches, 675 runs, HS 105*, avg 56.25, sr 165.84, 1 century, 5 fifties, 73 fours, 25 sixes
- Rajat Patidar: 15 matches, 501 runs, HS 93*, avg 41.75, sr 192.69, 5 fifties, 30 fours, 42 sixes
- Devdutt Padikkal: 16 matches, 464 runs, HS 61, avg 33.14, sr 168.72, 3 fifties, 49 fours, 24 sixes
- Tim David: 16 matches, 305 runs, HS 70*, avg 33.89, sr 188.27, 1 fifty, 22 fours, 23 sixes
- Krunal Pandya: 16 matches, 226 runs, HS 73, avg 37.67, sr 145.8, 1 fifty, 20 fours, 11 sixes
What's Next for RCB?
RCB's focus now shifts to the IPL 2027 Mega Auction, where the challenge will be retaining the core of their back-to-back championship-winning squad. The franchise will have to make difficult decisions on key players beyond automatic picks like Kohli, Patidar, and Padikkal. Retaining crucial bowlers such as Bhuvneshwar and Dar will be a priority. At the same time, RCB will need to plan for the future by identifying young Indian batting talent who can eventually succeed Kohli as part of a long-term strategy.
Looking at the overseas contingent, the franchise must also find a way to bring back stars such as Hazlewood, Salt, and Tim, whose value is expected to soar after their contributions to consecutive title-winning campaigns. However, RCB may also have to make some tough decisions regarding players like Bethell and Romario, who endured difficult seasons this year.
Stay updated with the IPL 2026 Final between RCB and GT on Times of India. Follow live match updates, the latest IPL news, full IPL schedule, and the race for the Orange Cap and Purple Cap.
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