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| Image Credit: wikipedia Image Design: Bala Kumar |
Hello Friends,
IPL 2026 has come to its conclusion with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) clinching back to back titles causing widespread celebrations amongst their fans. It was a much deserved victory once again for one of the most loved teams of the cash rich league. They are now the third team in the history of the league to win back to back titles after the two other stalwarts CSK & MI achieving that milestone in past. Not to forget RCB's success seems lot sweeter because of all the criticisms they have faced all these years for not winning the championship despite having all the big names in the kitty. Probably that's the biggest change what their management has made in the recent past that is producing fruitful results now. A very low key profile of the the players including the captain and a laser sharp focus on winning the title rather than celebrating individual milestones has been the mantra in this new era for the men in red.
RCB definitely has been the team to beat this season. But what about the rest? The once who qualified for the playoffs were good enough too but somehow they failed to win the big moments in the knockouts. Surisers Hyderabad (SRH) loosing the momentum courtesy an onslaught by a 15 year old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the eliminator, Rajasthan Royals (RR) not capitalising during their bowling powerplay in qualifier 2 or Gujarat Titans (GT) succumbing to pressure of final during their batting innings in the big finale were some of the moments that the teams may look on and introspect what better could have been done. Before we talk in details about the progression of the top four teams let's take a quick look on what were the other headlines of the season.
- 15 year old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi not only won hearts but won medals too. His stellar season was one of the major reasons why his team made it to the playoffs. It's now the responsibility of all the stakeholders of Indian cricket to nurture this young talent and get him ready to take bigger strides in near future.
- It was a season of fast bowlers for sure. Veterans like Bhuvneshwar, Hazlewood, Rabada, Archer, Starc showed their class throughout the season in a tournament which is now inclined towards the batters for more than one reason.
- Big three CSK, MI & KKR had a poor season raising question marks over their execution & plan of action for near future.
- Punjab Kings' roller-coaster tournament that saw them crashing out of the tournament after nearly a perfect start remains the biggest as well as the most shocking story of the season.
- Rishabh Pant's resignation from captaincy after yet another disappointing season for his team could pave the way for a new direction for the franchise. Pandya & Rahane's captaincy future also up for debate.
- How the individual performances in IPL this season will impact India's T20I team selections in near future will be interesting to see.
- Limited opportunities to spinners during the season was a matter of concern. Hopefully it gets addressed properly by teams.
Now let's move to top four.
Batting Tempo Needs Remodelling
SRH had a fairly successful season. Though at one point of time during the league phase they seemed to be going all the way to lift their second IPL title with some consistently commanding performances but their lacklustre performance in the eliminator saw them crashing out closer to the big finale. They raised their hopes by defeating the eventual champions RCB in their last league fixture too. But probably the specific aspect of their game that has been criticized by many since the start of Pat Cummins-Daniel Vettori era caused their downfall once again. It is fair to say now that a balanced approach in their batting is the need of the hour. They are exceptional as a batting unit with some of the best stroke makers available. But considering their performances in the last three seasons it seems like their approach is slowly becoming more like the infamous Bazball style adopted by England men's cricket team. It's either all or none. They were either too good to be true or totally vulnerable. That approach definitely needs a relook.
In terms of bowling they did fairly well with rather an inexperienced bowling attack in the absence of regular captain & ace fast bowler Pat Cummins. Commendable job was done by stand in captain Ishan Kishan to lead the team in best possible manner. After some disappointing bowling performances in the initial fixtures they turned to young ones like Praful Hinge, Sakib Hussain, Shivang Kumar at the expense of experienced ones like Unadkat or Harshal Patel. Though this season saw limited opportunities for most spinners, still SRH should look to include an experienced spinner in their lineup. Most delightful fact was that the results didn't get affected mid season when Cummins resumed the captaincy duties. That tells a lot about how strong the leadership environment of this team has been now which had turbulent history related to captaincy switch in past.
To some extent their game plan has become one dimensional which is not that difficult for the opposition to crack. Leadership group needs to think a bit more in terms of overall strategy. In terms of individual performances Klaasen had an outstanding season with the bat. In fact he was the most destructive batter for them this season considering famous TraVishek duo didn't have as productive season as in past. In terms of bowling the youngsters Hinge, Sakib, Shivang, Eshan Malinga were impressive and look to form the core of the bowling group in future.
They have an excellent support staff team as well with some legendary names like Vettori & Muralitharan in it to support an energetic bunch of players. What they need is little more firepower in the bowling group with addition of an experienced spinner and an Indian fast bowler as well. As far as batting is concerned they are well on track to post huge totals consistently or chase down daunting targets. But only shift that is required is a bit of more application when the conditions are not that batter friendly or match situation demands you to build the innings rather than just going on a rampage. With an able captain, support staff & a bunch of exciting Indian young talent SRH should look towards a brighter future.
Time For Young Brigade To Deliver
Rajasthan Royals had a rather up & down route to the playoffs. They started brilliantly, then lost the momentum for a while and finally got to the playoffs by stitching together couple of good wins towards the end of the league phase.Though they never looked invincible at any stage of the tournament but overall they played an exciting brand of cricket. And not to forget a majority of that excitement caused by a young 15 year old kid Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. He was clinical this season for his team. It won't be exaggerating to say that he kind of single handedly steered that batting unit throughout the season in the absence of ex captain & batting stalwart Sanju Samson and with a bit of a lower returns from the likes of Jaiswal, Captain Parag & finisher Hetmyer. They might look back & wander what if the wonder kid wouldn't have performed the way he actually had, would they still be able to qualify for the playoffs? Probably not.
Talking about captaincy they had a new captain in Riyan Parag who was elevated to the position post departure of Sanju Samson. To be honest Riyan did a fair job as a first time captain in a high-octane tournament like IPL though his returns with the bat were way below his usual standards. Probably he needs to work on that extensively going forward. His decision making was mostly sensible and as per the match situation barring a few occasions. Despite struggling with injury throughout the tournament and missing few matches he made sure that he is available for the crunch games towards the end of the tournament and knockout ones if they qualify. He has a calm persona on the field and mostly looked under control of the proceedings which is commendable for a youngster at his age. Though some of the off field controversies surrounding him & the team were doing the rounds but they decided to focus on the cricket rather than the outside noise.
Parag was yet another example of RR's long running culture of grooming youngsters with the required support. Jadeja, Samson, Jaiswal & now Sooryavanshi are some of the other names in that list. In that regard Parag definitely has to repay the management's faith in the long term. They too had been a team which has got into the playoffs more often than not but has been unable to cross that finishing line. Parag has a big job in hand to change his team's fortunes in future. He had a balanced side at his disposal this year though absence of Sam Curran was a big blow. Still with the likes of Archer, Ferreira, Jaiswal, Jurel & newly recruited old gun Jadeja he had some well reputed match winners in the team. What was required was some consistent performances in a long tournament like IPL. Unfortunately after a solid start they were unable to be consistent with their performances.
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| Archer had an impactful season with ball for the Royals Image Credit: BBC News اردو, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org /licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons |
Bowling was too dependent on Archer who with his ability to produce that extra pace & bounce was phenomenal to trouble the opposition batters. Apart from him the bowling unit didn't look that penetrative even though it was expected that addition of Jadeja would strengthen their bowling. But considering limited opportunities for spinners on some real flat decks even Jadeja didn't seem to be at his best.
Despite inconsistency they tried to stick to the same playing eleven in order to give the players a long rope which eventually will help them growing in confidence. If we consider their last few seasons they had this common trend of loosing their way after a good start to the tournament and then somehow managing to creep into the playoffs. This edition was no different. Whether it's complacency, lack of focus or inefficient leadership behind such a happening needs to be analysed going forward if they have to end their trophy drought in the biggest tournament in the world.
They too require few more tactical additions in the bowling department to support Archer. They have always trusted that young teams being led by a young captain will do the job for them. With the same philosophy they have handed over the reign to Riyan Parag now though their long standing philosophy hasn't produced right sort of results for them in a long time. With a new management in place now whether the thought process will change or remain the same will be interesting to see.
So Near Yet So Far
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| Purple cap holder Rabada led the Titans bowling attack exceptionally well Image Credit: NAPARAZZI, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons |
Talking about the runner up Gujarat Titans, they had a successful run reaching the finals in yet another closely fought season. Their success is once again hugely because of a formidable and probably the best bowling attack in the competition. Their bowling attack seems to be having all sort of variety that is required to win T20 matches. They have the accuracy of of Siraj, Pace of Rabada & Prasidh, mastery of spin wizard Rashid in addition to their new recruit who proved to be the X factor this season Jason Holder.
Throughout this season and in past too they have been criticized for having a moderately less powerful batting lineup. With heavily reliant on top three in which Buttler didn't seem to be at his usual best batting returns were once again questionable. In fact failure of top three in the big finale did cost them the game since they could reach to a sub par total on that beautiful wicket of Ahmedabad. They need to remember that during their successful inaugural season they had a finisher of David Miller's calibre in that middle order. Probably that middle order became the missing link between them and the their second title.
As far as the captaincy is concerned Shubman Gill seemed lot more energetic & determined this time around to prove his worth as a leader in the shortest format of the game. Probably his non inclusion in the national team for the T20 World cup would have added that extra motivation to prove himself at the biggest stage. He was equally effective with the bat too where he had yet another 600+ runs season and most interestingly he was taking on the bowlers during the powerplay, a feature which accounted for his exit from the Indian team. Newly appointed batting coach Hayden also would have played a big role in that considering the kind of swashbuckler he himself was.
But still the biggest drawback for this team remains firepower in that middle order. During their match against KKR they were unable to chase down a 200+ total despite getting a solid platform from the top three. Classical approach by both Gill & Sai Sudharshan in contrast to the power hitting by some of the other openers is also another reason why they need some powerful strikers beyond number three. Considering the way the tournament is becoming more batter friendly they would surely need some batting muscle at the earliest to be at par with other teams.
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| Jason Holder proved to be the X factor for the Titans Image Credit: CRICKETNEXT, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons |
Talking about the bowling group again they tried their best to ensure that opposition never runs away with the game specially in the powerplay and most often than not they successfully did that. Despite Rashid not being at his best during the initial phase of the tournament the bowling attack looked potent. Addition of Jason Holder was a big boost for them both in batting & bowling. It is fair to say that they probably are one of the fewest teams in the competition who has a complete bowling attack suitable for all sort of conditions.
Going forward they should look to include some quality Indian batters in that fragile middle order considering they almost have their four foreign players' quota fixed. Inclusion of new batters can either be from the existing group or fresh recruits during the mini auction. Buttler's dwindling form is also another factor they need to consider going forward. Whether they persist with him beyond the current cycle of three years or not might decide how they want to restructure that middle order,
This was their third appearance in the final and fourth appearance in playoffs in a span of five years. For a new team in a tournament like IPL this is a very encouraging performance and an indication that they are being very well and professionally managed. Once they are able to close few loopholes in the batting department and focus on consistency there is no reason why they can't be a fearsome team in the competition.
Ee Salanoo Cup Namde
Ee salanoo cup namde (Kannada version of This year too the cup is ours). Yes that's the new slogan which has been chanted by every RCB fan since the grand finale night. After years of humiliation for chanting the slogan Ee sala cup namde (This year the cup will be ours) finally the fans have enough reasons to cheer for. Despite consistent failures for years RCB fans kept supporting their beloved team and that's why this twin trophy feels so special now. Kind of fan following RCB has it was an irony that those fans didn't have anything to shout for at the end of every season prior to 2025.
Despite the unfortunate incident of stampede last year post their 1st title win fans came in huge numbers to support their beloved team. There was no dearth of enthusiasm.They were scheduled to play the final at their homeground but last minute change in schedule deprived the fans of that joy where they could have been crowned as the champions at their backyard. Despite the final potentially being an away match the support for the men in red was phenomenal. This win is truly for their fans.
Now the bigger question is how this turnaround happened. How a consistently struggling team who could not get a grip on that elusive trophy for 17 long years suddenly won back to back titles and now being considered as a true powerhouse? There was no magic certainly behind this victory. What it had was some exceptionally well planned & executed strategies, lot of hard work, smart people management and an indomitable passion to win. Biggest challenge in front of the RCB management was to address the fact that despite having all the big names year after year they were not able to produce the desired results. Probably the problem statement itself had the solution---Big names. Yes, they had all the big players playing for them. But somehow that collective effort of a team was missing to clinch the title. In a tournament like IPL building a team with players from different countries, different styles & thought process isn't an easy task. There are few other teams too in the competition who like RCB are still struggling to crack that winning formula. But RCB certainly has been able to do that.
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| Andy Flower has played a pivotal role in reshaping RCB's fortunes Image Credit: NAPARAZZI, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons |
Even though it's a collective effort but the first credit should go to the backroom staffs led by Head coach Andy Flower & Director of cricket Mo Bobat who kind of recognized the root cause of consistent failures and felt the need of a change in team culture. During the last mega auction they decided to strip off this superstar culture and focus on building a balanced team with a right mix of experience & youth. They selected players on their potential rather than how big the names were. That's how they backed youngsters like Rasikh Salam, Suyash Sharma or Yash Dayal (Yash was part of the championship winning team last year).
At the same time they also included proven performers like Krunal Pandya, Tim David, Phil Salt, Josh Hazlewood. Identifying that bowling has been their achilles' heel for a long time they decided to bring some experienced minds in the bowling department. Bhuvneshwar Kumar-Josh Hazlewood combination played a major role in reversing their fortunes over the past two years. They needed such performers yet not superstars in the team to build the team in the new direction. Above all they kept Kohli as a motivator whose energy level on & off the field was contagious.
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| Bhuvi-Hazlewood combination gave the bowling the much needed edge |
Before building a team they needed a captain who can align with the vision of the leadership team and take the team forward without creating much of a noise. They had du Plessis as the captain in the previous cycle who was a respected leader for sure. But the age was not on his side & fitness also being a question mark the management decided to appoint a comparatively younger, aggressive as well as humble character to lead the next cycle of their development. They found Rajat Patidar fitting the bill in all aspects.
Rajat was not a popular name but had a sharp cricketing brain with some match winning performances to his name despite getting limited opportunities. It was a big gamble to some extent as well to handover the captaincy to a guy who hasn't been part of the team for long as well as didn't have any exposure to handle pressure situations of IPL like tournament. But since their only direction was to move upwards they were ready to take that risk. And now they can proudly say that the risk was worth it.
Patidar played a crucial role in the development of this team. His shift to a aggressive striker of the ball in the middle overs changed the equation in his team's favour. Playing with a fearless mindset he notched up 500+ runs at a strike rate of over 190 which paved the way for his team's strong finish match after match. His match winning knock in the qualifier 1 was a reminder that you need not to be a superstar to win big matches for your team. He was always a calm influence on the field and stayed away from the limelight off the field. His only focus was to help his team winning the championship. Laser sharp focus and hard work can do wonders for you. Under his captaincy it all seemed like going like a well oiled machine. Batting, bowling & fielding everything seemed to be moving perfectly throughout the season. They had few hiccups too in the season. But a relaxed environment on & off the field ensured that the team can forget such setbacks and move forward.
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| Virat has been an integral part of RCB franchise over the years Image Credit: Bollywood Hungama, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons |
Last but not the least, influence of one person on this team that has fuelled this success and that is none other than Virat Kohli. His passion for this team is second to none. Fans still remember how he was unable to hide his tears on the ground post their 1st title win last year. His energy level, valuable inputs on and off the field, mach winning contributions with the bat all played a part in this memorable victory. No doubt he was always fired up to hold that trophy which he was unable to during his tenure as a captain. Infact it was cricket god's biggest justice that he got that opportunity now in consecutive years and there was no fitting conclusion to the finale where Kohli scored the winning runs. Virat's contribution to this team will always be remembered with pride.
Overall RCB's revolution as a T20 power house is a case study of how through proper strategy making and keeping your priorities ahead an organization can achieve an unimaginable success. Not to forget that they now have two Women's Premier League(WPL) titles too. There is no one big name is responsible for this success. Rather it's a collective effort of some of the sharpest cricketing brains both on & off the field. Hopefully this is just the beginning of a remarkable journey. With a new management in place and a burning passion to achieve more RCB fans should have plenty to cheer for in the coming years.
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Image Credit:
Bhuvneshwar: Akshayparmar.gu,CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Hazlewood: NAPARAZZI, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
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