IPL: After years of hurt, RCB find a salve with back-to-back titles

The chasemaster was there fittingly to put the finishing touches in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s back-to-back IPL titles on a magical night at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday. Unlike last year at the same venue when Punjab Kings fell six runs short of the target in what was a nervy final for RCB, it was a much easier ride this time as they gatecrashed into Gujarat Titans’ party.

 After being branded for years as the most star-studded franchise never to lay their hands on the prized trophy, they have now managed to get their act right – becoming only the third team after Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians to win two titles on the trot. The self belief of the team, augmented by them ending the title jinx last year, has reached such a level that they never looked like depending on Kohli alone to take them over the line.

 ‘’When we won their title last year, our Director of Cricket Mo Babat said we would not stop here and try to go for back-to-back titles,’’ Kohli, Player of the Final for yet another chasing act, told the broadcasters at the presentation. The talismanic former captain may have failed to add another Orange Cap for the highest scorer in the tournament – he ended fourth with 675 runs – but the likes of captain Rajat Patidar (501) and Devdutt Padikkal (464) provided the spine to their middle order often found lacking in the past.

Their powerplay bowling, which found an unlikely hero in the 36-year-old Bhubaneswar Kumar who finished second in the race for the Purple Cap (28 wickets) played a key role in the crunch games – was spot-on in the play-offs. It was him and Josh Hazlewood who had a gameplan ready to frustrate the prolific opening pair of Shubman Gill and Sai Susdarshan with a hard length and some swing. Once both of them fell cheaply inside the powerplay while trying to force the pace, it was nothing a bodyblow for the normally consistent Titans.

  Comparisons may be odious, but the overall balance of this RCB unit reminds one of a Chennai or Mumbai in their glory days – where everyone put their hands up during times of crisis. One such character had been Krunal Pandya, a streetsmart allrounder who now has five IPL winner’s medals on his trophy shelves in his 11 seasons – two with RCB and three from the MI days.

 The monkey being finally off his back last year, Kohli had looked more relaxed right throughout the tournament – though as hungry for success as ever. An example was towards closing stages of the final this evening when with victory very much in sight, Kohli was caught at mid-off by a diving Gill – a supreme effort but the master batter felt it warranted a DRS.

 The fierce competitor that he is, Kohli went for it and earned a reprieve – which allowed him to be in the thick of things and wrap up the contest in style with a six. Thanking the squad members, he said he always had a lot of faith in the experience in their ranks. ‘’I knew that even if I get out early, there are people who can win the game for us with three to four overs left,’’ said the man of the moment.

He also had a word of special praise for the Play Bold fans, though one strongly felt that there should have been a reference to the 11 RCB fans who lost their lives in a stampede during their victory celebrations outside Chinnaswamy Stadium last year. ‘’I often say that we don’t play seven home games but 14 as our supporters are all over the country. Tonight, GT may be the home side but 90% of the fans were rooting for us,’’ Kohli said.

 A crestfallen Gill, who ended second to the wonderboy Vaibhav Suryavanshi in the Orange Cap race with 732 runs, felt a total of 180-190 would have been par in the final. ‘’We couldn’t get over the line today but it was a commendable performance by the boys overall. We were also the best bowling side in the tournament,’’ he added.

Individual honours

Orange Cap: Vaibhav Suryavanshi (RR) 776 runs

Purple Cap: Kagiso Rabada (GT) 29 wickets

Most Valuable Player (MVP): Vaibhav Suryavanshi

Emerging Player of 2026: Vaibhav Suryavanshi

Super Striker of the Season: Vaibhav Suryavanshi, 71 sixes

Most Fours: Sai Sudarshan (GT) 75 fours

Most dot balls: Mohammed Siraj (GT) 172

Catch of IPL: Manish Pandey (KKR)