Finishing top of the league table in IPL 2026, Royal Challengers Bengaluru carried that rhythm straight into the business end of the season—winning Qualifier 1 and then going on to lift the trophy in the final for the second year in a row. While the franchise’s overall brand of all-round cricket has been flowing, some squad members have still faced relentless abuse on social media. One of the most scrutinised names has been Venkatesh Iyer, a player who joined Bengaluru for Rs 7 crore ahead of the 2026 campaign after being among the league’s highest-paid signings, but who had a rough 2025 run with the Kolkata Knight Riders.
Key takeaways
- RCB topped the IPL 2026 league standings and then won Qualifier 1 before capturing the final to secure back-to-back titles.
- Venkatesh Iyer, signed for Rs 7 crore ahead of IPL 2026, faced repeated online backlash linked to his disappointing 2025 season with KKR.
- With Rajat Patidar ruled out due to an injury, Venkatesh struck an unbeaten 73 against Punjab Kings in the league phase.
- That knock convinced RCB’s management that the all-rounder should not be dropped from the playing group.
- In an interview, Venkatesh said he does not let online abuse determine his mindset, focusing instead on controlling his attitude and effort.
Social media pressure and a statement knock
Even as RCB’s performances kept attracting praise, Venkatesh Iyer found himself repeatedly targeted online, with criticism often traced back to his flop 2025 campaign for the Kolkata Knight Riders. However, the turning point for him arrived when Bengaluru needed him, and the circumstances forced a chance in the lineup.
During the league stage against Punjab Kings, RCB’s captain Rajat Patidar was ruled out because of injury. Into that opening, Venkatesh stepped and delivered when it mattered most—smashing an unbeaten 73. The innings didn’t just help his team; it also changed the thinking within the RCB setup, with the management deciding that the all-rounder could not be left out after that performance.
How Venkatesh responded to hate—and what he learned from the bat
Speaking in an exclusive conversation with NDTV’s Consulting Editor Boria Majumdar, Venkatesh addressed the impact of online hostility directly. He stressed that ignoring it completely isn’t realistic for anyone, but said reacting to it is something he chooses not to do. In his view, he remains accountable for his own cricketing outcomes and trusts his understanding of the sport to guide him through criticism.
Venkatesh explained: “To say that it did not impact me would be wrong. It does impact everyone. But yeah, to react to it is something that I would never do, because I’ve maintained it time and time again: this is my life, my career, and I’m completely accountable for it and I’m taking care of it. If I’ve done bad, I don’t need people to tell me that I’ve done bad. I know it. I understand cricket enough.”
He also acknowledged that the path he has chosen will inevitably bring such challenges at different times. At the same time, he credited the environment at RCB for helping him steady his focus and continue delivering on the field, saying he never felt detached from the squad or like he did not belong.
“But yeah, abuse and all, it’s going to be there. You know it. You know, if you do well, people will talk. If you don’t do well, people will talk. The only thing that you can do is control your efforts, control your attitude. You know, more than efforts, control your attitude. That’s what I’ve been trying to do. And yeah, I’m very lucky that I was in an environment that suited my attitude and my, you know, approach towards the game. So I was really happy, you know, never felt like I’m away from the setup. Never felt like I don’t belong here or anything like that. I completely felt at home and that’s what I think kept me going,” he said.
Turnaround knock: the importance of the first 10 balls
Venkatesh also broke down what helped him settle during the Punjab Kings match—highlighting that, for him, the opening phase of an innings can often reveal a player’s rhythm. He pointed out that it’s not only about him; even the game’s “legends” would agree that the early deliveries determine whether you get into your groove.
He elaborated: “It’s actually about fighting the first 10 balls. I think it’s not just me, you know, the legends of the game also. It’s that the backhand is actually the first few balls. And so if you’re playing regularly, those first few balls become lesser and lesser. But if you’re not playing, if you are just walking into the ranks and, you know, all these things, the first few balls are actually where you kind of are searching for who you are. You’re getting into the groove.”
Venkatesh then explained how having Virat Kohli at the other end helped him build the innings calmly. He said the platform was set early, allowing him to avoid rushing into risk and take his time until the bat started finding the middle consistently. Once the timing clicked, he described falling into a mental focus where outside noise fades and the only task becomes reacting to the ball in front of him.
“Fortunately for me, I was batting alongside Virat in that game and the platform was set. So I was able to, you know, not chew up a few balls, but I was able to take my time. And once, as you said, it starts hitting the middle of the bat, you kind of zone out. You kind of forget what all is happening, what has happened or, you know, you forget everything and you just focus on how you want to hit the ball. And at the end of the day, that is cricket, right? How you’re hitting the ball, how you’re reacting to situations. And as you said, first few balls after that completely felt like unknown territory for me,” he added.
