Between triumph and trauma: RCB’s uneasy return as defending champions

The 2026 season is unlike any other in RCB’s IPL history. For the first time since the league began in 2008, they enter a campaign as defending champions. The breakthrough in 2025 has altered the way the franchise is viewed, but it has also raised the bar. With expectation now a constant companion, the challenge is not just to compete, but to show that last year was the start of a phase, not an exception.

Strengths

A settled, winning core

RCB have resisted the temptation to overhaul a title-winning group. 15 members of the 2025 squad remain: skipper Rajat Patidar, Tim David, Virat Kohli, Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, Swapnil Singh, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rasikh Salam Dar, Suyash Sharma, Yash Dayal, Nuwan Thushara, and Abhinandan Singh.

That level of continuity gives them a clear advantage. Roles are familiar, and the combinations are tested. In a league where many sides are still searching for balance, RCB know what a winning version of themselves looks like.

Finishing depth

In Tim David, Romario Shepherd, and Jitesh Sharma, RCB possess a trio of finishers that few teams can match. All three have established themselves as high-impact death-overs batters in the IPL, and all strike at over 150: David at 173.36, Jitesh at 157.05, and Shepherd at 212.64.

It gives them flexibility to adjust the order based on conditions and match situation without losing intent at the death.

Weaknesses

Hazlewood’s uncertain availability

Josh Hazlewood proved to be the difference for RCB last season. The right-arm quick operated with metronomic accuracy and finished as the leading wicket-taker for RCB. His 22 wickets left him just three behind Prasidh Krishna, the tournament’s highest wicket-taker, and he went at an economy rate of 8.77.

Reports that he may miss a few games at the start of the season are therefore significant. Without him, RCB lose their most reliable seam option with the new ball and through the middle. It increases the load on Bhuvneshwar Kumar and the rest of the attack and could expose their depth if early results go against them.

A fragile relationship with home

For a side with such a strong fan base, RCB’s record at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium remains a concern. Last season, they played six games there, losing the first three, scraping home in the next two by 11 and 2 runs respectively, with one washout.

The broader numbers underline the issue. Out of 96 games at the venue, they have won 46 and lost as many, with four no-results. By contrast, the most successful franchises have turned their home grounds into fortresses: Mumbai Indians have a home win percentage of 61.96%, Chennai Super Kings 66.23%. RCB’s inability to dominate in Bengaluru is still a clear chink in their armour.

Opportunities

After a wait of 17 long seasons, RCB finally broke the hoodoo in the 18th, lifting the trophy by beating Punjab Kings in the 2025 final. The 19th edition offers them the chance to show that the title was not a one-off.

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With a retained core, a settled leadership group and the confidence of having crossed the final hurdle once, this season is an opportunity to reposition the franchise. A strong defence of their crown would move RCB firmly into the conversation of consistently high-performing sides rather than perennial contenders.

Threats

The context around their return to the Chinnaswamy is unlike any other. 11 people lost their lives in RCB’s victory celebrations at the venue, and this will be the first time the side steps out there since the tragic incident.

Professional athletes are trained to be thick-skinned, but the scale of that stampede is hard to ignore. The emotional weight of playing again at that ground, combined with the pressure of defending a title and their mixed home record, could test the group in ways that are hard to imagine. How RCB manage that burden may shape their season as much as any selection call.

RCB's squad for IPL 2026

Rajat Patidar, Tim David, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Vihaan Malhotra, Jacob Bethell, Krunal Pandya, Venkatesh Iyer, Romario Shepherd, Swapnil Singh, Mangesh Yadav, Kanishk Chouhan, Satvik Deswal, Philip Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Jordan Cox, Abhinandan Singh, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Salam Dar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma, Yash Dayal, Nuwan Thushara, Jacob Duffy, Vicky Ostwal