Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s repeat title run in the IPL 2026 season brought fresh praise from across the sporting world, with England football captain Harry Kane adding his voice after RCB defeated Gujarat Titans in the final. Kane posted his congratulations on Instagram Stories, applauding Virat Kohli and the franchise following their five-wicket win at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Kane joins the congratulations after RCB’s back-to-back success
Kane’s message highlighted the impact of Kohli’s performance in the decisive match, calling it “what a player” and “what a knock.” He then congratulated RCB for achieving consecutive IPL crowns, underlining how significant the feat is in the context of league history.
RCB’s journey to this point included ending an 18-year wait for their first IPL title in 2025. A year later, they defended the trophy successfully, turning their campaign into one of the most dominant title-retention stories the league has produced.
RCB’s place in IPL history: consecutive titles and elite captaincy
The final win ensured RCB became only the third franchise in IPL history—after Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians—to lift the trophy back-to-back. It also delivered a major milestone for their captain.
- Rajat Patidar joined an elite group of captains by leading RCB to consecutive IPL titles.
- He became just the third captain in league history to achieve back-to-back triumphs, following MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma.
Kohli’s finishing touch and Patidar’s credits
Virat Kohli again stood at the center of RCB’s title-winning campaign, and he capped the final with a composed unbeaten 75. His innings helped seal victory and reinforced why he remains such a crucial figure in RCB’s big-match plans.
After the win, Patidar praised Kohli not only for technical guidance but also for the steady encouragement he offers to younger players. Patidar said Kohli helps him think through improvements, particularly when facing pace, and that Kohli is consistently present for both the team and individuals—especially those who feel nervous as they approach him.
- Patidar said he works on how he can improve, “against pacers especially,” and that Kohli provided plenty of ideas and support.
- He added that Kohli is always there for the team and for all players, including younger members who may be anxious.
Patidar reflects on the second title as captain
Discussing the emotions of delivering a second IPL title as captain, Patidar explained that memories from last year’s historic success returned when he arrived at the stadium. However, he stressed that the squad had to keep its attention on the present match and the job at hand.
He described the feeling as “superb,” noting that while the previous triumph brought back a lot of memories, RCB still had to stay in the present—capturing the emotional contrast of repeating success without losing focus.
How RCB approached the final: a chase plan and a full bowling effort
Patidar also outlined how RCB’s strategy was shaped by the conditions, explaining that the team had clear confidence in their chase. He said the plan was straightforward because it would be easier to pursue the target after assessing the match situation.
He further pointed out that RCB aimed to put pressure on Gujarat Titans’ top order by targeting the “top-three,” and credited the bowling unit’s performance throughout the tournament for making the difference in crunch moments.
- Patidar said the plan was clear and that chasing was the easier route based on conditions.
- He stated RCB wanted to get Gujarat’s top three.
- He praised RCB’s bowlers across the campaign for their effectiveness.
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar (Bhuvi)
- Josh Hazlewood
- Rasikh (Dar)
- Krunal Pandya
- Romario Shepherd (Sheppie)
With that combination of leadership, decisive batting from Kohli, and a bowling group that powered the campaign, RCB secured the five-wicket win in the IPL 2026 final and underlined their status as the league’s latest dynasty.
