Senior pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has declared Royal Challengers Bengaluru ‘deserving’ back-to-back IPL champions, crediting the collective effort that powered the franchise to a successful title defence at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. RCB beat Gujarat Titans by five wickets in the final to retain the trophy they had lifted at the same venue in 2025.

Bhuvneshwar on the title defence

Speaking in a video shared by the IPL on its social media handles on Wednesday, Bhuvneshwar said the long wait had finally paid off. ‘I think the way RCB have waited all these years, they deserve to win back-to-back titles. I think everyone gets credit for it,' he said.

‘The way the team has been performing for the past two years, I don't think anyone is dependent on the player. It's not an easy task to win back-to-back, but I think it was a great job by everyone,' the veteran pacer added.

A personal season to remember

Bhuvneshwar finished the campaign with 28 wickets, anchoring RCB's bowling attack across phases. ‘Individually, it's been a very great season. A lot of things have gone well. Execution has been good. Execution after the thought process has worked. So I think it was a good season for me, for sure,' he reflected.

‘There is no bigger highlight than winning the trophy, for which we work hard for 2-3 months. All teams do it – it's not that we don't. But to end up with the trophy, I think it takes a lot. So, we have done that,' he added.

Venkatesh Iyer on a final that felt different

Batting all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer, who played a key role in RCB's title run, said the win carried a unique emotional weight. ‘I've played a couple of finals before, but this felt totally different. It felt as if the entire country were playing with us. I saw on social media people praying for us, people doing aartis and what not for RCB,' he said.

‘It should not come across as a shock that we made the finals or we won because the way we played our cricket, the way we played this season, I think we're deserving champions. But congratulations to GT as well for an amazing campaign,' Iyer added.

‘Two best teams played it out in the final, and for us, it was our day. It's something that I'll be cherishing for a very long time. I would like to thank God for this day. For allowing me the opportunity to represent this team and bring glory to it,' he said.

Patidar and Bhuvneshwar singled out

Iyer reserved special praise for skipper Rajat Patidar and Bhuvneshwar. ‘I think this season, the way Rajat has carried himself with the bat and as a leader, I think he's been a standout performer for us,' he said.

‘But my vote for the player of the season for RCB has to go to Bhuvneshwar Kumar. He shows us that vintage is always special. Keeps things very basic, but so effective. It was such a pleasure to watch him in his full flow,' Iyer added.

What's next for RCB

With consecutive titles in hand, RCB now turn their attention to the off-season and squad continuity ahead of the next IPL cycle. The challenge: sustaining a winning core that has finally cracked the code after years of near-misses.