How Did Flower-led RCB Coaching Group Ensure Player Improvement?

New Delhi, June 2 (NationPress) As Royal Challengers Bengaluru prepare to face Punjab Kings in the IPL 2025 final, batting coach Dinesh Karthik is confident that the coaching staff, under the leadership of Andy Flower, has successfully implemented a method to ensure players are enhancing their skills throughout the competition.

On Tuesday, RCB will compete in their fourth IPL final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, aiming to improve upon their previous runner-up finishes in 2009, 2011, and 2016. They are set to challenge PBKS, who are reaching the IPL final for only the second time.

Both teams topped the league stage, with RCB defeating PBKS in Qualifier 1 at Mullanpur. Karthik stated, "When you have a team performing well as we did in the first half, it’s almost guaranteed that the same 12 players will participate in most matches unless injuries occur. This means several players, around eight to ten, may not start or play in every game.

"Maintaining their motivation, keeping them eager, and ensuring they are prepared to seize their chance is one of the main challenges. I must acknowledge that Andy and the coaching team have put in tremendous effort and have perfected the process that keeps players both hungry and improving.

"As they enhance their skills, they believe they'll return as better cricketers, whether for domestic teams or on the international stage. This has been a key focus during our two-month period together. I hope, and feedback from players will confirm, that we have genuinely helped them improve since we arrived," Karthik expressed in a video shared by the franchise on Monday.

RCB also had to recruit Mayank Agarwal to replace the injured Devdutt Padikkal, alongside Blessing Muzarabani and Tim Seifert as overseas replacements for Lungi Ngidi and Jacob Bethell, who were unavailable due to national commitments. In the interim, Bethell stepped in for an ill Phil Salt, partnering with the iconic Virat Kohli.

"When preparing for an auction, you definitely focus on your starting 12. However, you also consider other players who could step in due to poor form or injuries. We take great pride in our auction strategy. The players we selected have consistently performed when called upon. The credit goes to the individuals themselves. They were ready for their moment, observing how the team operated.

"They enjoyed being part of the team, and when the opportunity arose, they took it and performed admirably. Jacob Bethell’s innings of 50 in the second match was a perfect example of this. It was a pleasure to witness those players in action," Karthik added.

Discussing Agarwal's addition as Padikkal’s replacement, Karthik remarked, "When a player is ruled out, it's unfortunate, but we strive to find the best replacement. After determining Devdutt wouldn’t be ready, we initiated our scouting process.

"Our scouting process is robust, led by Malolan Rangarajan, and one of Mo Bobat's notable strengths was his excellent scouting for the English team. The process we follow is quite intriguing.

"As Malolan reviews potential candidates, it closely mirrors our evaluation of players. Then, our entire group convenes to make a collective decision. Mayank was clearly the best choice. He has a strong track record and is a local talent who has won many games with the bat. Selecting him was almost a straightforward decision once he was proposed."

Mo Bobat, RCB's Director of Cricket, elaborated on how the team adapted to various challenges, including an early struggle to secure wins at their home ground, M Chinnaswamy Stadium, to reach the title match. "I believe we can perform excellently and still lose a game, and I find that satisfying. Conversely, winning a game without performing as we should would disappoint me," he noted.

"My primary goal is to play in line with our established approach, and generally, we've achieved that, which is gratifying. I’m particularly pleased with our ability to adapt to challenges. Every season presents obstacles on the road to a trophy.

"There are many hurdles along the way, and we must adjust to them. For instance, we faced tricky home conditions and had to adapt to a series of away matches at challenging venues, which was tough. Additionally, injuries necessitated further adjustments, and it has been encouraging to see other players step up and perform effectively."