Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) head coach Andy Flower has credited a 'deeper level of confidence' within the squad as the defining difference between the franchise's back-to-back IPL title campaigns in 2025 and 2026, while also pointing to the difficult 2024 season as a pivotal turning point in the team's evolution.

How 2024 shaped the winning formula

Flower, speaking at a virtual press conference on Monday, was candid about the role adversity played in RCB's transformation. 'The very tough first half of 2024 gave us real clarity about certain strategic things that we wanted to employ, and it gave us the courage through almost through desperation to take those measures,' he said. That season of struggle, he argued, laid the groundwork for the clinical, composed unit that has now lifted consecutive trophies.

The shift from uncertainty to composure

Flower drew a clear distinction between the emotional charge of the 2025 triumph — RCB's first-ever IPL title after an 18-year wait — and the assured manner in which the 2026 defence was completed. 'In 2025, we were walking into the unknown a little. There was a lot of tension and uncertainty around getting into playoffs and then obviously lifting the trophy. This year has felt a little bit different. I think there's a deeper level of confidence in our squad,' he explained.

He attributed much of that composure to senior figures in the dressing room. 'Having the likes of Virat and Bhuvi and Hazelwood and KP in that squad makes it a lot easier for us, the coaching and management team,' Flower said, adding that the pressure experienced in the IPL playoffs is comparable to that of World Cup knockout stages or marquee Ashes contests.

Venkatesh Iyer: the standout example of squad culture

Flower singled out India batting all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer as the clearest embodiment of RCB's squad culture. Iyer had to bide his time after early exclusion but stepped up decisively when a finger injury to Phil Salt altered the combination. Opening alongside Virat Kohli, Iyer scored 209 runs in seven games, including a rapid start in the final.

'He sat out after all his experiences, winning IPLs and playing for India. He had to sit out and be really patient... When it did come, each time he made contributions. It was such a wonderful example of a mature young man being humble enough to take the bad news on the chin,' Flower said. He described Iyer as 'a big contributing factor to us closing out this tournament.'

Nurturing the bench: young talent and squad wellbeing

Flower also spoke at length about the deliberate effort to keep non-playing members engaged and developing. He highlighted young players Vihaan Malhotra and Kanishk Chouhan — both graduates from the India Under-19 setup — as examples of players who absorbed lessons from watching senior professionals like Virat Kohli in the training environment.

'One of the biggest drivers in the human condition is to feel as if you're making progress in the world. We want everyone that's sitting out... to feel as if they are developing themselves,' he said. Flower acknowledged the difficulty of balancing attention between playing and non-playing members but stressed it was a non-negotiable part of building a healthy franchise culture alongside Mo Bobat, RCB's Director of Cricket.

Bhuvi, Hazelwood and KP: the calm under pressure

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazelwood, and Karn Patel (KP) received special mention for the composure they bring to high-pressure situations. 'Bhuvi has been outstanding for these last two seasons, and it's arguable that we wouldn't have had our success at all over the last two seasons if he hadn't been producing performances under pressure repeatedly,' Flower said. He noted that KP's confidence is underpinned by five IPL wins across 11 seasons with different franchises. Flower concluded that RCB intend to build on this foundation heading into the next season.