Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be the champions going into IPL 2026, but Anil Kumble – once captain of India – gave a plain assessment of their chances of keeping the title. Kumble said it would be hard to win two championships in a row, and made the point that Patidar and his team would be under a kind of pressure that was special. The season begins on March 28, with RCB playing the first game at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Kumble’s direct view of the title defense
Kumble said that it’s not often a team keeps on being a champion in the IPL, with only a few teams having done well for a long time in the past. He argued that a team which is the champion has special, and strong, mental and strategic problems. He said that this makes RCB’s attempt to win championships one after another a really difficult job.
The former captain praised Patidar’s first year as captain, while also pointing out that people now had much higher hopes for him. Kumble stressed that other teams would study RCB in more detail, and that keeping up a good level of play would be very important during a long and full schedule.
What kind of leader is Rajat Patidar?
Some people were surprised when Patidar was made captain, but Kumble thinks the choice was good. Patidar had been captain of his state team and had done well in domestic cricket, so he had a base of leadership experience to work from. Kumble said Patidar was calm and collected when under pressure, and called this his best quality.
Kumble said this personality would be very important when all eyes were on him. The captain would have to manage what people hoped for, use his players well, and balance having enough batters with having enough bowlers. Patidar’s careful way of doing things could help RCB in close run chases and difficult knockout games.
How well is the team put together, and what’s the strategy for overseas players?
RCB made their team stronger in the auction by signing all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer for Rs 7 crore, adding left-handed batting and experience. Kumble showed which overseas players would probably be in the starting eleven, saying that Tim David and Romario Shepherd would almost certainly play together because of their power when finishing an innings and their ability to do two jobs. Phil Salt and Josh Hazlewood were also named as likely starters if they were fit.
Kumble said these overseas choices made the batting deeper and gave the team more choice in bowling through Shepherd. He said Jacob Bethell was a question for how he would fit into the eleven, but stressed that the mix of David, Shepherd, Salt and Hazlewood would give RCB a long batting lineup and a balanced attack.
What part will Venkatesh Iyer play, and what’s the debate about the starting eleven?
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Though Iyer cost a lot in the auction and is a good all-rounder, Kumble doubted he would be in the starting eleven at the start of the season. He argued that coaches often like to use the same eleven that won the championship, especially at first, unless form or fitness made them change. Devdutt Padikkal, who missed the last part of the season because of injury but is now back to his best, would probably get his place back.
Kumble also explained how ‘impact player’ roles might affect who was chosen: Padikkal could be the batting impact player when RCB bowled first, while Suyash Sharma might be the bowling impact player when RCB chased. He believed that this structure limited the chances for a new all-rounder to play straight away, unless practice and warm-up games showed it was needed.
Home games and what the stadium is like for IPL 2026
The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium will be where the tournament opens, and will also host a number of RCB’s home games in 2026, with some games at another ground in Raipur. Local cricket authorities have confirmed a split schedule that keeps important games in Bengaluru but meets wider practical needs.
The stadium had stopped holding events after safety problems during the celebrations last season, and its step-by-step return to holding high-profile games is still the main thing people are watching. Having the opening game at a full home ground will increase the pressure and expectations on the champions.
RCB start the season with praise for Patidar’s calm leadership and a team that mixes power with flexibility. Kumble’s warning is a reminder that keeping a title needs more than just talent: it needs continued calm, clear tactics, and a bit of luck during a long IPL season.
