Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has heaped praise on Rajat Patidar’s captaincy after the franchise successfully defended its IPL title in 2026. RCB defeated Gujarat Titans (GT) in the final to lift the trophy for the second consecutive season, following their maiden IPL triumph in 2025. Bhuvneshwar highlighted Patidar’s consistency as a leader, revealing that the batter remained unchanged from the moment he was appointed captain in 2025 until RCB secured their second successive title.

According to the experienced pacer, Patidar’s ability to listen to advice while still trusting his own instincts became one of his biggest strengths. Bhuvneshwar recalled an incident involving New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy during his first match for RCB in IPL 2026. While some players suggested that Patidar save one of Duffy’s four overs for later in the innings, the captain backed his original plan and used the pacer’s full quota immediately.

“From the time Rajat was declared captain till we won the second trophy, he was literally the same. He did not change even a bit. He would always listen if you went to him with any advice.  I remember Jacob Duffy’s first match. He bowled four overs at once. A few players told him to save an over of his for later. But he was confident. That’s the kind of decisions he made,” Bhuvneshwar said on a podcast with Jatin Sapru.

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With RCB’s consecutive title wins, he became only the third captain in league history to guide his team to back-to-back championships, joining the likes of MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma. Bhuvneshwar also recalled his first interaction with RCB Director of Cricket Mo Bobat and head coach Andy Flower after being bought for ₹10.75 crore at the IPL 2025 auction. The pacer met the duo in Bengaluru while he was representing Uttar Pradesh in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

“My first conversation was with Mo and Andy, after the auction. I met them in Bangalore during SMAT and they had their camp there as well. It was a very casual meeting. They wanted to know how my preparation was and what my thought process was.”

The veteran pacer proved to be an important part of RCB’s successful campaigns across the two seasons. In 30 matches during IPL 2025 and 2026 combined, Bhuvneshwar claimed 45 wickets at an average of 21.87 and an economy rate of 8.56. Bhuvneshwar also discussed the unique atmosphere at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Having previously played against RCB as a member of Sunrisers Hyderabad, he had experienced the passionate home support from the opposition dressing room.

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“When we used to play at Chinnaswamy when I was with SRH, everyone knew the support there for the local team was amazing. They were very loud.” The pacer said he fully understood the magnitude of the RCB fanbase after attending the franchise’s unboxing event before the season.

Despite Chinnaswamy’s reputation as a challenging venue for bowlers, Bhuvneshwar has enjoyed impressive numbers there. He has taken 26 wickets in 19 IPL matches at the venue, averaging 23.35 with an economy rate of 8.45. His experience and consistency, combined with Patidar’s confident leadership, played a significant role in RCB’s historic back-to-back IPL triumphs.