New Delhi, March 12: Former Indian bowler Anil Kumble believes that defending the title in IPL 2026 will be a significant challenge for Rajat Patidar. Kumble noted that after the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) won their first championship last season, expectations will be much higher this year. RCB claimed their maiden IPL trophy by defeating Punjab Kings in the final of IPL 2025.
Following Faf du Plessis’s departure from RCB, Rajat Patidar was appointed as the team captain for IPL 2025. Under his leadership, the team performed exceptionally well last season. RCB will kick off their IPL 2026 campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 28. It will be interesting to see if Patidar can lead the team to defend their title this year.
Kumble stated in an interview with ‘GeoStar’, “It won’t be easy for Rajat Patidar’s RCB team to win the title consecutively. Only Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians have managed to win trophies back-to-back in the past. However, I believe Rajat’s first season as captain was impressive. Many of us were surprised when he was appointed, as everyone expected Virat Kohli to take on the role again. Nevertheless, the team management decided to go with Patidar, and it paid off. He had only captained Madhya Pradesh before, but he performed well in domestic cricket.”
Kumble praised Rajat’s captaincy, saying, “Given his limited experience, he led the team remarkably well. He utilized his bowlers effectively. Overall, Rajat’s captaincy was outstanding. RCB has built a strong bowling attack, and their spinners played a crucial role in making the team champions. Winning the title again will be tough, as expectations will be very high. However, Rajat appears calm under pressure, which should benefit him.”
Kumble also expressed doubts about Venkatesh Iyer securing a spot in RCB’s playing XI for the initial matches. He remarked, “I don’t think Venkatesh Iyer will be part of the playing XI at the start. You would want to stick with the starting eleven that helped you lift the trophy after 18 years. Devdutt Padikkal should play in the XI. He missed some crucial matches last season due to injury, but he is in excellent form. If RCB bowls first, he will play the role of an impact player.” Kumble added that if RCB bowls first, Suyaash Sharma could also be an impact player for the team. He concluded that RCB looks like a strong team for the upcoming season.
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