RCB’s IPL Win Story: Planning, Patience and Perfect Execution

How RCB Rebuilt Their Team And Finally Cracked The IPL Victory Code

For Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), winning the IPL was not just a dream, it was a mission. And this time, they didn’t just build a team, they built a complete project, Project RCB. Behind this project was Andy Flower’s vision, Dinesh Karthik’s Indian insight, and a strategy that was different from other teams.

Andy Flower’s IPL Mission

Zimbabwe’s former batter Andy Flower had already won every major short-format tournament as a coach of T20 World Cup, ILT20, PSL and more. But IPL was a personal goal. His time with Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s last season taught him one thing, to win IPL, auction planning is the most important part. And this time, he didn’t want to repeat old mistakes.

Team Building Started with Only Three Retentions

RCB made a bold choice and retained only three players:

• Virat Kohli – who is the face of RCB

• Rajat Patidar – who later became the captain

• Yash Dayal – who can swing the ball early in the innings

These three players became the base of the team.

Auction Plan Handled by Analyst Freddie Wilde

RCB analyst Freddie Wilde had worked with the England team and also wrote a book that included a chapter on RCB’s failures. He clearly explained how too much focus on expensive batters and weak bowling hurt the team. This time, Wilde worked on fixing those mistakes and focused on long-term value while picking players.

Patience Paid Off at the Auction

While other teams were spending big on star names, RCB showed patience. Andy Flower said, “People thought we were not spending, but actually we were investing – in the right players for the right roles.” As a result, RCB picked Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Krunal Pandya, Tim David, Romario Shepherd and surprise pick Suyash Sharma – a young leg-spinner who did really well this season.

Smart Planning from Mo Bobat

Mo Bobat, who earlier worked with England cricket, also helped in the planning. His simple idea was to spread the value across all parts of the team. Instead of spending too much on big names, he focused on building a balanced bowling unit. He believed in selecting players based on their roles, not just their fame.

Dinesh Karthik’s Role as a Mentor

Getting Dinesh Karthik into the coaching team was a smart move. His knowledge of modern T20 cricket and Indian conditions helped the team a lot. DK guided players not just on technique but also mentally, especially Jitesh Sharma. In the final, Jitesh played with confidence and hit a paddle scoop and a straight six against Jamieson. This change in mindset came from Karthik’s support.

Bowling Strength: Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar’s Combo

RCB had a good pace combination:

• Josh Hazlewood – who is good at bowling hard lengths

• Bhuvneshwar Kumar – who swings the ball early and bowls well in the final overs

Bhuvi was suggested by Dinesh Karthik and performed very well in the IPL final. Among Indian pacers, only Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna and Arshdeep Singh took more wickets than him. RCB got him at the right price while PBKS retained Arshdeep for ₹18 crore.

Emotional Commitment from Players

This season was an emotional journey for RCB. Hazlewood returned to India even after his child’s birth. Phil Salt also came back to Ahmedabad early in the morning just to play the final. Their dedication showed the real spirit of the team.

Building Loyalty in a Franchise Team

Brendon McCullum once said building strong bonds is easier in international cricket. But RCB showed that even in franchise cricket, true loyalty is possible. The 2025 season proved that – all players and staff were working together for one goal.

Final Thought: A Trophy Needs More Than One Day

This time, RCB didn’t just win the trophy, they changed their image. A team that used to rely only on big names, now won with planning, balance, and focused teamwork. Project RCB proved that with the right mindset and team culture, even the toughest goals can be achieved.

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