NEW DELHI: Two seasons ago, it looked like Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s long wait might stretch forever after they were knocked out in the Eliminator against Rajasthan Royals. Fans walked out of the venue with tears in their eyes then—and many did the same “last night” once again, only this time the emotion swung the other way. The Bengaluru franchise have now written a different ending to their story: they successfully defended their title by beating Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on Sunday evening, sealing another IPL championship and cementing their reign. The turnaround has been unmistakable, because this time it hasn’t been about one spell or one hero—it has been a full-team pattern that has repeatedly unsettled opponents. In a season where every other franchise found Rajat Patidar’s side hard to contain, RCB turned consistency into dominance.
RCB’s campaign delivered 11 wins in total, including nine victories in the league phase, plus triumphs in Qualifier 1 and the final. From the way they approached matches to the way they handled pressure moments, there was a clear message that this wasn’t just about defending a trophy—it was about chasing another one, just as their captain Patidar had said ahead of the tournament. Their attacking intent stayed visible throughout, with Patidar setting the tone as the skipper who struck the most sixes for RCB this season, registering 42. Virat Kohli, as ever, remained central to the batting plan, finishing as the franchise’s leading run-getter once again.
On the bowling front, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Salam Dar, Suyash Sharma, and Jacob Duffy all played meaningful roles as the season moved forward. Krunal Pandya and Venkatesh Iyer added extra dimensions with their all-round impact, ensuring RCB’s overall balance kept improving match by match. In the end, it was the kind of “everyone contributes” performance that RCB appeared to build for from the outset.
RCB in IPL 2026: 11 Wins, 5 Losses
RCB began their title defence in Bengaluru with a commanding win over Sunrisers Hyderabad. They secured a comfortable victory by six wickets and then followed it up with another win against Chennai Super Kings. Their first setback arrived against Rajasthan Royals, when Vaibhav Sooryavanshi stole the spotlight. Yet momentum was not lost. RCB bounced back with consecutive wins over Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants, before suffering a defeat to Delhi Capitals.
From there, they regained control quickly, putting together back-to-back victories against Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans. After the early portion of the tournament, RCB faced consecutive losses for the first time in the season—first against Gujarat Titans and then against Lucknow Super Giants. The response, however, was immediate and emphatic: they beat Mumbai Indians in a last-ball finish, driven by Krunal Pandya’s scorching 73, one of the defining knocks of his IPL career. The side carried that momentum into the next stretch, defeating Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings as well.
RCB then endured their biggest defeat of the season against Sunrisers Hyderabad, but they recovered with rapid precision. They won back-to-back matches against Gujarat Titans—first in Qualifier 1 and then again in the final—to complete the defence and lift the trophy once more.
Reason behind RCB’s success
Batting dominance not dependent on Virat alone
RCB have sometimes leaned too heavily on Virat Kohli in the past, with the team’s fortunes frequently tied to whether he could anchor the innings. This year, that reliance was noticeably reduced. The batting unit operated as a collective force, giving RCB depth and confidence even when the pressure rose. Kohli finished with 675 runs, while captain Rajat Patidar led the charge from the top with 501. Devdutt Padikkal provided strong support, contributing 464 runs. In the middle, Tim David and Krunal Pandya reinforced the structure with 305 and 226 runs respectively, ensuring RCB could keep scoring without depending on a single individual to carry the innings.
Bowling masterclass
With Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood, RCB continued to make life difficult for opposition batters throughout the campaign. Whenever Hazlewood wasn’t available, Jacob Duffy stepped in and helped spearhead the pace attack alongside Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Rasikh Salam Dar. Along with Krunal Pandya, every bowler bought wickets at the right times — the moments when matches can flip quickly. Overall, RCB took 104 wickets during the season, with Bhuvneshwar finishing as the leading wicket-taker for the franchise with 28. The key was that bowling contributions weren’t confined to one or two overs; they arrived consistently, making the entire unit feel like a single machine.
IPL 2026: RCB Report Card
Top Performers for RCB
RCB’s successful title defence in IPL 2026 came through a blend of star performances and role clarity across the squad.
Virat Kohli led from the front with 675 runs in 16 innings, striking at 165.85 and averaging 56.25—proof that he remains the spine of the franchise’s batting identity. Captain Rajat Patidar elevated both his leadership and his own output, scoring 501 runs. His most explosive moment arrived in Qualifier 1 against Gujarat Titans, where he smashed an unbeaten 93 off 33 balls to push RCB into the final.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar spearheaded the bowling as well, taking 28 wickets in 16 matches. His spellwork combined tight control and swing, and he also chipped in when RCB needed lower-order runs. Krunal Pandya continued his “silent hero” reputation, adding 226 runs and taking 14 wickets. That all-round balance made him the first player in franchise history to post the 200-run and 10-wicket double in a single season.
Small Contributions, Big Impact
Not every storyline stayed the same throughout the year. Phil Salt suffered an injury midway through the season, which opened the door for Jacob Bethell. Bethell appeared in seven innings, but couldn’t quite reproduce the form that had made him stand out earlier, including during the T20 World Cup. RCB also gave Venkatesh Iyer an opportunity, and while his chances were limited, the impact was large—he scored 209 runs in just six innings at a strike rate of 186.61. His crucial playoff and final contributions played a significant part in RCB’s march toward back-to-back trophies.
Duffy stepped up whenever Hazlewood was absent, and his performances impressed enough that RCB chose to use both Duffy and Hazlewood during the playoffs. Rasikh Salam Dar complemented Bhuvneshwar effectively, ending the season with 19 wickets. Suyash Sharma’s run was more uneven, but he remained economical and finished with nine wickets.
Top Bowlers (RCB)
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar: 16 matches, 16 innings, 28 wickets, best figures 4/23, average 17.89, economy 7.95, strike rate 13.50, four-wicket hauls 10, five-wicket hauls 0
- Rasikh Dar: 12 matches, 12 innings, 19 wickets, best figures 4/24, average 21.31, economy 9.45, strike rate 13.52, four-wicket hauls 10, five-wicket hauls 0
- Josh Hazlewood: 13 matches, 13 innings, 15 wickets, best figures 4/12, average 32.93, economy 9.59, strike rate 20.60, four-wicket hauls 10, five-wicket hauls 0
- Krunal Pandya: 16 matches, 14 innings, 14 wickets, best figures 2/16, average 30.35, economy 8.41, strike rate 21.64, four-wicket hauls 0, five-wicket hauls 0
- Suyash Sharma: 12 matches, 12 innings, 9 wickets, best figures 2/47, average 41.77, economy 7.20, strike rate 27.22, four-wicket hauls 0, five-wicket hauls 0
Top Batters (RCB)
- Virat Kohli: 16 matches, 16 innings, 675 runs, highest score 105* , average 56.25, strike rate 165.84, hundreds 1, fifties 7, fours 25, sixes 57
- Rajat Patidar: 15 matches, 14 innings, 450 runs, highest score 93* , average 41.75, strike rate 192.69, hundreds 0, fifties 3, fours 19, sixes 42
- Devdutt Padikkal: 16 matches, 15 innings, 461 runs, highest score 61, average 33.14, strike rate 168.72, hundreds 0, fifties 4, fours 20, sixes 24
- Tim David: 16 matches, 15 innings, 305 runs, highest score 70* , average 33.89, strike rate 188.27, hundreds 0, fifties 1, fours 12, sixes 23
- Krunal Pandya: 16 matches, 16 innings, 226 runs, highest score 73* , average 37.67, strike rate 145.80, hundreds 0, fifties 0, fours 11, sixes 11
What’s Next for RCB?
With the defence completed, RCB’s attention now turns to the IPL 2027 Mega Auction, where the biggest challenge will be keeping the core of a squad that has delivered back-to-back championships. That will involve tough calls even if certain players are expected to be retained automatically, including Kohli, Patidar, and Padikkal. Keeping key bowlers like Bhuvneshwar and Dar will be another priority, while the franchise will also need a long-term plan to identify emerging Indian batting talent who could eventually step into Kohli’s role.
There is also the overseas dimension. RCB will look at ways to bring back players such as Hazlewood, Salt, and Tim, whose value is likely to rise even further after their contributions to consecutive title-winning campaigns. At the same time, the team may have to make difficult decisions regarding players including Bethell and Romario, who struggled through parts of the season.
