RCB’s clinical performance against GT a statement win, says Anil Kumble

Royal Challengers Bengaluru stormed into the TATA IPL 2026 final with a 92-run win over Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1. Anil Kumble praised Rajat Patidar’s leadership, team balance and all-round performance, calling it a “clinical statement win” ahead of the final.

Hyderabad: Royal Challengers Bengaluru booked its place in the TATA IPL 2026 final with a 92-run win against Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1. Speaking on Star Sports’ ‘Amul Cricket Live’, JioStar expert Anil Kumble broke down RCB’s commanding victory, touched upon Rajat Patidar’s impressive leadership, and why SRH will have an upper hand over RR in the knockout game. “After losing the toss, RCB put their best foot forward by posting a mammoth 254 on the board. Scoring that many runs is tough in any game but doing it in a playoff shows real character. The pitch was good for batting, but RCB’s batters still had to go out and execute,” Kumble said. “ They did that brilliantly with Rajat Patidar leading from the front and good contributions from Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal.. When RCB came out to bowl, they didn’t let GT’s openers settle. They bowled tight lines, kept the pressure on, and got an early breakthrough with the unfortunate dismissal of Sai Sudharsan. That wicket opened the door,” he said.

“From there, the RCB bowlers took complete control. It was a clinical performance from start to finish. Bowling, batting, fielding – everything clicked for RCB on the night. They didn’t just win; they made a statement. That is the kind of performance you need in a knockout game,” Kumble said. On Rajat Patidar’s knock and leadership, the former India captain said: “A player earns the respect of his teammates when he performs in the big game. Rajat Patidar has done exactly that. This first qualifier was a massive game for RCB. Winning the first qualifier and going straight to the final gives you a huge advantage. Three or four days off allows players to recover mentally and physically.” “ That is a luxury of winning the first qualifier. Rajat has done a terrific job as captain. But what stands out about RCB is that different players step up in different games. Every match, a new player wins the Man of the Match award. That is exactly what happened last season when they won the title. When everyone contributes, you become a champion team,” he said.

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“In this game against GT, every bowler took wickets. There was no over-reliance on one or two individuals. The batting fired, the bowling was disciplined, and the fielding was sharp. That is the hallmark of a side that knows how to win big games,” Kumble said. On how the absence of Phil Salt and Jacob Bethell has helped RCB find the right balance, Kumble said: “The absence of Phil Salt and Jacob Bethell has allowed RCB to bring in Jacob Duffy as a specialist bowler. RCB were uncertain about their fourth seamer’s role and wanted better balance in their attack and the addition of Jacob Duffy has been a solution to that problem.” “The strong performance of their Indian players has worked in their favor as they have stepped up with both bat and ball, giving the management the confidence to play an extra bowler instead of a batter in the form of Jacob Duffy. Duffy adds solid depth to the pace attack,” he said.

“ In the last few games, even Josh Hazlewood has been expensive, so having another quality seamer is a bonus. This setup allows RCB to field their strongest combination without a weak link. RCB now have a more rounded attack with multiple bowling options, while their batting lineup can still post big totals. Things have fallen into place nicely for them at the right time,” Kumble said.