Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], June 1 (ANI): Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Devdutt Padikkal hailed the team’s bowling lineup after the side clinched their second consecutive Indian Premier League (IPL) title by defeating Gujarat Titans (GT) by five wickets in the final of the 2026 season, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
RCB’s bowling has been one of the biggest reasons for their 2026 IPL season win as they have performed consistently throughout the season. While Bhuvneshwar ended the season with 28 wickets, Rasikh Salam Dar claimed 19 wickets. Aussie pacer Josh Hazlewood has also taken 15 wickets in the IPL 2026 season, while Krunal Pandya managed 14 wickets.
In the IPL 2026 final, RCB’s bowling attack produced yet another disciplined performance to limit GT to 155/8. The pace trio of Rasikh Salam Dar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Josh Hazlewood led the charge, picking up three, two, and two wickets respectively. Rasikh finished with impressive figures of 3/27 in four overs, while Bhuvneshwar returned 2/29 and Hazlewood claimed 2/37 from their allotted spells. Krunal Pandya also chipped in with a wicket as GT were restricted to a below-par total, which RCB later chased down in 18 overs with five wickets remaining.
Speaking about RCB’s bowling, Devdutt Padikkal praised the entire bowling unit, calling them “unbelievable” and highlighting how effectively they execute their plans. He said the bowlers are extremely meticulous in their preparation, noting that even in team meetings he has seen how detailed their strategies are.
“They have been unbelievable. The plans they execute is great, I have been in a few meetings, and they are meticulous,” Padikkal said after the final clash.
Padikkal also spoke highly of Virat Kohli, who stood out in RCB’s chase by staying unbeaten on 75 off 42 balls, saying that as long as Kohli was at the crease during the final, there were no nerves because of his experience and ability to handle pressure. He also praised Kohli’s continued evolution and improvement over the years.
“When each wicket fell, I was just telling Venky, as long as he [Kohli] is there, then are no nerves. He has not stayed still, he has evolved, he has continuously improved,” he added.
RCB’s Jitesh Sharma credited the leadership and support staff of Royal Challengers Bengaluru for shaping a positive, confident environment during their title-defence.
He highlighted that Director of Cricket Mo Bobat shifted the team’s mindset from “defending” the title to actively “chasing” it again, which boosted belief within the squad. He also praised the management, including batting coach and mentor Dinesh Karthik, for guiding and supporting players.
He added that the team stayed focused on a “one-match-at-a-time” approach, concentrating on tactics rather than pressure or expectations. He expressed confidence by saying that the team aim for a third title in the next season.
“Mo [Bobat] had said earlier, we are not defending, we are chasing the title. The mindset changed there. [Atmosphere] All the credit goes to the management. The way they have pushed us forward, DK has helped me, so has Mo. They have nourished us. We knew we are very strong. Our focus was one game at a time. Just one match. We never thought, how well we are playing. Focus was on our tactics. Next year, we will have a third,” Jitesh said.
Put to bat first by RCB, GT scored just 155/8 in 20 overs, with Washington Sundar (50* in 37 balls, with five fours) and Nishant Sindhu (20 in 18 balls, with three fours) being the only one to cross the 20-run mark. Rasikh Dar Salam (3/27), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/29) and Josh Hazlewood (2/37) took wickets regularly.RCB started off well with a 62-run stand between Venkatesh Iyer (32 in 16 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) and Virat Kohli.
GT showed some fight, reducing RCB to 132/5 at one point, but Virat (75* in 42 balls, with nine fours and three sixes) guided RCB to a win with two overs left. This is RCB’s second IPL title win and overall their fourth Indian franchise cricket trophy, including two Women’s Premier League (WPL) titles. (ANI)
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