New Delhi [India], June 1 (ANI): Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) skipper Rajat Patidar praised all-rounder Krunal Pandya for his flexibility and vital contributions with the bat during the franchise’s victorious IPL 2026 campaign, saying his team-first mindset played a key role in their back-to-back title triumph.
RCB defeated Gujarat Titans by five wickets in the IPL 2026 final in Ahmedabad to successfully defend their title, with several players stepping up across the season.
In 16 matches this season, Krunal scored 226 runs in nine matches at an average of 37.66 and a strike rate of 145.80, with a fifty and best score of 73. He also took 14 wickets at an average of 30.55, with best figures of 2/16. In the final, he bowled an economical spell of 1/23 in four overs.
Patidar lauded Krunal for the selfless approach he brought to the side, especially in adapting to different batting roles as per the team’s requirements.
“KP (Krunal Pandya) has been extremely positive for us. If I speak specifically about his batting, the last few years may not have been his best with the bat, but we all know the kind of skills he possesses and the level he can perform at,” Patidar said during a virtual media press conference after the final.
Patidar said there were discussions within the team management regarding Krunal’s batting position through the season, but the experienced all-rounder always remained open to adjusting according to the situation.
“At the start, there were a few discussions around his batting position — sometimes he batted up the order, sometimes lower down — but what really stood out was how much he helped the team with his flexibility. I’ve never seen him being rigid about where he wants to bat,” he said.
The RCB captain further said Krunal’s willingness to put the team ahead of personal preference made him a valuable asset in the batting line-up.
Krunal became one of the IPL’s most well-accomplished players, securing his fifth IPL title, his second back-to-back title with RCB and played a crucial role in his team’s success in the 2025 and 2026 editions. Before this, he had secured three IPL titles with the Mumbai Indians (MI).
“He has never been someone who says, ‘I will only bat at this number.’ Whenever I, Andy (Flower), Mo (Bobat) or DK (Dinesh Karthik) spoke to him about a particular role or situation, he was always ready to put the team first,” Patidar added.
Patidar said Krunal embraced every responsibility handed to him, which gave the side greater tactical flexibility throughout the tournament.
“If we felt KP needed to go in at a certain stage of the game, he was always willing to do that for the team. That attitude has been a huge asset for us. Overall, what I mean is that his flexibility regarding the batting order, along with the contribution he has made with the bat, has helped RCB immensely this season,” he concluded.
Put to bat first by RCB, GT scored just 155/8 in 20 overs, with Washington Sundar (50* in 37 balls, with five fours) and Nishant Sindhu (20 in 18 balls, with three fours) being the only ones to cross the 20-run mark. Rasikh Dar Salam (3/27), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/29) and Josh Hazlewood (2/37) took wickets regularly.
RCB started off well with a 62-run stand between Venkatesh Iyer (32 in 16 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) and Virat Kohli. GT showed some fight, reducing RCB to 132/5 at one point, but Virat (75* in 42 balls, with nine fours and three sixes) guided RCB to a win with two overs left. This is RCB’s second IPL title win and overall their fourth Indian franchise cricket trophy, including two Women’s Premier League (WPL) titles. (ANI)
Related reading
