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.
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:
Avg = Bowling Average, Econ = Economy Rate, SR = Strike Rate, 4W = Four-Wicket Hauls, 5W = Five-Wicket Hauls
Top Batters:
HS = Highest Score, Avg = Batting Average, SR = Strike Rate
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.
