‘Never doubted we’d win it’-Bobat and Flower reveal blueprint behind historic title triumph

Director of Cricket Mo Bobat and head coach Andy Flower credit a meticulous auction strategy, structural elite experience, and an indispensable Indian coaching staff for driving Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their second successive IPL trophy

Ahmedabad: Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s historic march to a second successive Indian Premier League (IPL) title is no product of fortune. Instead, the franchise’s back-to-back championships are the result of deliberate design, meticulous auction strategy, and a rock-solid dressing room culture.

For years, RCB were regarded as a star-studded yet fundamentally imbalanced franchise—heavy on expensive batting line-ups while treating their bowling attack as a perennial weak link. However, under the stewardship of head coach Andy Flower and Director of Cricket Mo Bobat, RCB have transformed into a balanced powerhouse, much to the delight of T20 cricket’s most passionate fanbase.

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Reflecting on the journey during a virtual press conference on Monday, Bobat recalled the initial hurdles. “When Andy and I first joined, our first year was a season of two halves and pretty challenging,” Bobat said. “Then we had the benefit of a mega auction and a bit of a reset, having learned some strong lessons. It was also an opportunity to introduce Rajat [Patidar] as a new captain, which felt like a blank slate for us.”

Bobat emphasized that despite historical trends, the management remained fiercely confident. “I never felt like we wouldn’t achieve the elusive first trophy. I know many management teams and players had tried over the years. I never really doubted it. But once we won that first one, we couldn’t settle. Like any sports team, you want an infinite goal that constantly inspires your fans.”

While the first title campaign was about breaking the ultimate title drought, Bobat revealed that this year’s strategy was built on an entirely different level of inner confidence.

“Across both seasons, I’ve been personally fixed on trying to achieve a top-two finish in the group stage. The 14-game campaign is a grueling journey. If you can put yourself in the top two, history shows what that does for your championship chances. Andy is excellent at getting people to focus entirely on the immediate game ahead,” he added.

A core pillar of RCB’s consecutive title runs has been a definitive shift in recruitment policy. Over the last two auctions, the management prioritized battle-hardened, proven international and domestic experience over unknown gambles.

“I’m not sure you can win a competition at the auction, but you can certainly lose one there,” Bobat explained. “It’s hard to undo structural mistakes in subsequent mini auctions. Interestingly, after our mega auction, many broadcasters and experts ranked our squad second-to-last, predicting we would finish bottom. That never affected our psychology. We valued experience across key roles, starting with Virat [Kohli] and Rajat as crucial retentions.”

The gamble on seasoned veterans paid rich dividends in the high-pressure final against Gujarat Titans.

“Adding players of the caliber of Phil Salt, Tim David, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, and Krunal Pandya was crucial. These are battle-hardened men who stay calm under pressure,” Bobat noted. “Yesterday, our bowling was a great example. Bhuvi and Hazlewood started brilliantly, and Krunal did his thing alongside excellent spells from Duffy and Rasikh Dar. Ultimately, pressure always finds Virat, and he finds a way to stand tall when the game is on the line. That’s what champion players do.”

Head coach Andy Flower echoed these sentiments, highlighting that the club’s scouting system and local coaching staff—including batting coach and mentor Dinesh Karthik, bowling coach Omkar Salvi, and spin coach Malolan Rangarajan—were completely indispensable to the title defense.

“The Indian coaches on our books have been absolutely crucial,” Flower stated. “Omkar Salvi is an experienced, highly observant technical coach whom the bowlers deeply trust. Malolan Rangarajan has been instrumental in building our scouting system with Mo, coaching our spinners, and anchoring our auction prep.”

Flower reserved special praise for Dinesh Karthik’s unique transition into the support staff. “DK is a different kettle of fish altogether—full of energy, ideas, and a great creative presence. As a very recent and successful IPL cricketer, his energy for the batting group has been unquenchable, earning the trust of even someone like Virat. Without the influence of these three Indian coaches, we certainly would not be sitting in this position this morning,” Flower concluded.