New Delhi: After waiting 18 long seasons to finally lift the Indian Premier League trophy in 2025, Royal Challengers Bengaluru have backed up their historic victory with another dominant campaign. Under Captain Rajat PatidarRCB have turned into the most consistent side of IPL 2026 and are now one win away from defending their crown.for Virat Kohliwhich spent nearly two decades carrying the franchise’s hopes, last season’s title ended years of heartbreak. But instead of slowing down after finally winning the trophy, RCB looked even stronger, calmer and more complete this season. Playing as the defending champions for the first time in the history of IPL, RCB handled the pressure brilliantly. They topped the league stage standings with nine wins from 14 matches before reaching the final with a 92-run defeat against Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1.As they prepare to face Gujarat Titans again in Sunday’s final in Ahmedabad, RCB look all-round favorites to win back-to-back titles.
Virat Kohli (Video Grab)
RCB’s final to road: Explosive start set the tone.
RCB started their campaign with a resounding six-wicket win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the season opener in Bengaluru. In an early sign of the batting frenzy that has come to define IPL 2026, SRH piled up 201/9, only for RCB to comfortably chase it down in the 16th over.Virat Kohli chased down an unbeaten 69 off 38 balls, while an aggressive batting style immediately showed the intent with which RCB planned to play the season.The campaign gained further momentum in the Southern Derby against Chennai Super Kings. Batting first at home, RCB smashed 250/3, with Tim David hitting an unbeaten 70 off just 25 balls. CSK put up a tough fightback with 207 in reply, but RCB still managed to claim an emphatic 43-run victory.The first blow against them was in Guwahati Rajasthan Royals. Despite posting another 200-plus total, RCB ran into teenage sensation Vibhu Suryavanshi, whose explosive 26-ball 78 helped RR chase down the target with two overs to spare.However, the defeat did nothing to disrupt RCB’s rhythm.They bounced back with back-to-back wins over Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Supergiants. At the Wankhede Stadium, RCB piled up 240/4 before restricting MI to 225/5 in a high-scoring thriller. Against LSG, he showed his bowling prowess by dismissing the visitors for 146 runs.These victories also helped RCB build a healthy net run rate, which later proved crucial in the standings.
Prince Yadav celebrates after taking the wicket of Virat Kohli. (IPL Photo)
Mid-season shake-up and champion reactionRCB suffered their first home defeat when Delhi Capitals bowled them out in a last-over thriller in Bengaluru. But once again the defending champions responded strongly.He chased down another 200-plus target against Gujarat Titans before producing one of the most dominant bowling performances of the season against Delhi Capitals in the reverse fixture. Led by Josh Hazlewood’s brilliant 4/12, RCB bowled out DC for just 75 in 16.3 overs and chased down the target in just 6.3 overs, boosting their net run rate significantly.The toughest phase of RCB’s season came soon after.Back-to-back defeats against Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Supergiants briefly put their playoff run under pressure. GT bowled out RCB for just 155 runs in Ahmedabad and chased down the target with ease, while RCB failed to achieve the revised target of 213 runs against LSG in a rain-affected contest.At this stage, RCB have won six out of 10 matches and still need at least two more victories to guarantee a play-off spot.However, that pressure got the best of the defending champions.RCB cemented their place at the top of the table with a hat-trick of victories in reply. They completed the season double against Mumbai Indians in a sensational last-ball win at Raipur to comfortably beat Kolkata Knight Riders and qualify for the play-offs.A 23-run win over Punjab Kings in Dharamsala cemented their position at the top.Even a heavy 55-run defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad in their last league match could not stop RCB from finishing at number one. Despite all the three teams finishing on 18 points, their high net run rate ensured them to stay at the top of the standings ahead of Gujarat Titans and SRH.
RCB captain Rajat Patidar plays a shot during Qualifier 1 against GT. (ANI Photo)
In Qualifier 1, Patidar leads the way.
RCB then produced their most complete performance of the season in Qualifier 1 against Gujarat Titans.Skipper Rajat Patidar showed sensational captaincy by scoring 93 runs off just 33 balls with the help of nine huge sixes to take RCB to 254/5.The bowlers then completed the task clinically, piling GT out for 162 to seal an emphatic 92-run victory and book RCB’s place in their fifth IPL final.More importantly, the performance reinforced why RCB have been the standout team of the season. His batting was fearless, his bowling disciplined and his leadership under pressure.Now, with strength on their side and a boost in confidence, RCB look set to successfully defend their title in the IPL 2026 final.
RCB Top Performers in IPL 2026
Top 5 Batsmen:
- Virat Kohli: M15 | Rs 600 | HS 105 | Ave. 50.00 | SR 164.38 | 100/50s 1/4
- Rajat Patidar: M14 | R 486 | HS 93 | Ave. 44.18 | SR 196.76 | 100/50 0/5
- Devdat Pedicel: M14 | R 463 | HS 61 | Ave. 35.62 | SR 170.84 | 100/50s 0/3
- Tim David: M15 | R 281 | HS 70 | Ave. 35.13 | SR 193.79 | 100/50s 0/1
- Krunal Pandya: M 15 | Rs 225 | HS 73 | Ave. 45.00 | SR 147.05 | 100/50s 0/1
Top 5 Bowlers:
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar: M 15 | W 26 | Best 4/23 | Ave. 18.15 | Econ 8.00
- Rasakh Dar: M11 | W 16 | Best 4/24 | Ave. 23.62 | Econ 9.73
- Krunal Pandya: M 15 | W 13 | Best 2/16 | Ave. 30.92 | Econ 8.64
- Josh Hazlewood: M12 | W 13 | Best 4/12 | Ave. 35.15 | Econ 9.62
- Suyash Sharma: M12 | W 9 | Best 2/47 | Ave. 41.77 | Econ 9.20
