RCB’s Historic IPL 2026 Triumph Earns Praise From Cricket World

Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s successful defence of their Indian Premier League (IPL) title has drawn widespread praise from players, officials, franchise representatives and cricket legends, with Virat Kohli’s match-winning performance and the team’s all-round excellence emerging as the defining themes of the 2026 season. RCB defeated Gujarat Titans by five wickets in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad to become only the third franchise after Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians to win back-to-back IPL titles.

At the centre of the triumph was Virat Kohli, who once again delivered on the biggest stage. The former RCB captain remained unbeaten on 75 from 42 balls, striking nine fours and three sixes while guiding his side through a tense chase of 156. His innings drew admiration from across the cricketing fraternity and further enhanced his reputation as one of the greatest match-winners in T20 cricket.

Kohli’s childhood coach Rajkumar Sharma described the innings as another example of the batter’s ability to master run chases under pressure. “It’s a wonderful innings, a match-winning innings, and he’s showing how brilliant a player he is and how he single-handedly wins matches while chasing. He’s shown it again,” Sharma said, adding that Kohli’s experience allows him to perfectly judge when to attack and when to control the innings.

RCB batter Devdutt Padikkal echoed those sentiments, revealing that the dressing room remained calm throughout the chase because Kohli was still at the crease. “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,” Padikkal said.

IPL chairman Arun Dhumal also paid tribute to Kohli’s legacy, saying, “Virat does not need any trophies. He is a trophy himself.” Dhumal praised RCB’s consistency throughout the season and suggested that the franchise’s successful era may only be beginning after consecutive title victories.

The championship-winning campaign was built on much more than Kohli’s batting. RCB’s bowling attack emerged as one of the strongest units in the tournament. Bhuvneshwar Kumar finished the season with 28 wickets, Rasikh Dar Salam claimed 19 wickets, Josh Hazlewood added 15 wickets and Krunal Pandya took 14. In the final, Rasikh starred with figures of 3/27, while Bhuvneshwar and Hazlewood claimed two wickets each as Gujarat Titans were restricted to 155/8.

Padikkal praised the bowling group’s preparation and execution, calling them “unbelievable” and highlighting the detailed planning behind their success. RCB wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma also credited the team’s management, including Director of Cricket Mo Bobat and mentor Dinesh Karthik, for creating a winning environment. According to Jitesh, the team’s mindset shifted when management encouraged players to focus on chasing another title rather than defending the previous one.

The title victory was celebrated throughout Indian cricket. BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla described the final as a great contest and said it was “a matter of happiness” that RCB had won back-to-back championships. He also praised Kohli for showcasing his “immense class on the big stage” while congratulating captain Rajat Patidar and the entire franchise.

BCCI President Mithun Manhas hailed RCB’s consistency over the last two seasons, saying the team had been playing excellent cricket and performing exceptionally well as a unit. RCB owner Kumar Mangalam Birla was equally delighted, describing the squad as a “great team” that worked seamlessly together and suggesting that a title hat-trick could be possible next season.

Several cricket legends also joined the celebrations. Sachin Tendulkar congratulated RCB for proving they could sustain success after winning their first title. Former captain Faf du Plessis called them the most complete team in the competition, while AB de Villiers celebrated the achievement with a message to RCB fans. Chennai Super Kings welcomed RCB into the exclusive club of teams to have defended the IPL title successfully. Irfan Pathan famously remarked, “Sher ko Khoon mooh lag Gaya hai,” while also praising Kohli’s ability to adapt his game to different situations. Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Ian Bishop and Shikhar Dhawan also lauded the franchise’s dominant campaign.

The celebrations were not limited to RCB’s success. Several officials also highlighted the remarkable season enjoyed by Rajasthan Royals prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The 15-year-old finished as the Orange Cap winner with 776 runs and swept multiple individual awards, including Most Valuable Player and Emerging Player of the Season. Both Rajeev Shukla and Mithun Manhas described him as an exceptional talent and one of the brightest young stars in Indian cricket.