Royal Challengers Bengaluru batting coach and mentor Dinesh Karthik heaped praise on skipper Rajat Patidar after RCB clinched their second successive IPL title with a five-wicket win over Gujarat Titans in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on 1 June. Karthik credited Patidar's composure as a key factor in the bowlers' consistency throughout the tournament, saying calm captaincy is invaluable under pressure.

Patidar's Leadership Style

Karthik described the RCB skipper as someone who leads without seeking the spotlight. 'Rajat has been a huge calming influence in a dressing room that is high-octane and high testosterone. He keeps things very calm, and that's so important. The bowlers thrive when you have a calm captain; it definitely helps under pressure,' Karthik said on JioHotstar.

He elaborated further: 'I think he likes to be a star, not a superstar. There are plenty of guys in that team who are big names and get the job done in high-pressure situations. The only time Rajat is aggressive is when he's batting. Other than that, he brings a very calm atmosphere and is happy for a lot of the senior players to go front and centre, which I believe is a very important trait in a leader. He just sits back, allows things to get done, and does exactly what needs to be done in that moment.'

Patidar-led RCB finished at the top of the ten-team points table in the league stage before successfully defending their title by chasing down 156. Seamers Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Rasikh Salam Dar were precise in their execution to restrict GT to 155/8, before Virat Kohli's unbeaten 75 took RCB over the line.

Senior Players Step Up

Karthik reserved special mention for the senior core that made RCB only the third team after Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings to defend an IPL title. 'It was great to see someone like Bhuvi bring his experience to the fore from game one right through to the end, he was always there for us. Hazlewood started in a certain way but finished strongly for us,' he said.

On Kohli's match-winning knock, Karthik was emphatic: 'Virat, under pressure and in a big chase, stood up yet again. That's why he's called the King. You can see youngsters playing a lot of different shots, but it was him who brought solidity to the chase. GT wanted one wicket. They knew that if they got Virat at any point, the game would be different for them. He withstood that pressure, and that tells you everything you need to know about him.'

Squad Depth Was Decisive

Karthik also highlighted the importance of quality backups in navigating a long tournament. 'It's one thing to have a good starting XII, but you always know that in a tournament like this, there could be an injury, a player arriving late, or someone dealing with family issues, and you need to be prepared for all of that,' he noted.

He pointed to seamless transitions within the squad: when Salty left, Bethell came in; when Bethell got injured, Venkatesh Iyer stepped up; and when Hazlewood was unavailable, Duffy — described by Karthik as the World No. 1 T20 bowler at the time — filled the gap. He also singled out Rasikh Salam, who had not played a single game for RCB the previous season, for his growth: 'This year, the way he has come in under pressure, constantly bowling tough overs and standing up to the challenge, has been impressive. He's got that character.'

What This Title Means for RCB

Back-to-back IPL titles place RCB in elite company. Only Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings had previously defended the title. The achievement also validates RCB's squad-building philosophy — blending seasoned match-winners with carefully developed backups — and underlines Patidar's emergence as one of the competition's most effective captains. The side's next challenge will be retaining the core of this title-winning group ahead of any future auction cycle.