Virat played major part in RCB’s success, bowling unit performed exceptionally, says Kumble on RCB’s title run

New Delhi: With the 19th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) set to begin on March 28, former India captain Anil Kumble reflected on Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s long-awaited title triumph last year, crediting both Virat Kohli’s influence and the team’s improved bowling unit for their success.

Kumble explained that while Kohli remained central to the franchise’s rise, the bowlers played a decisive role in helping the side clinch their maiden IPL crown. “Virat plays a major part in RCB’s success. But if you look at last year, whenever RCB were successful, their bowling unit also came to the fore,” he said, speaking on JioStar.

Kumble noted that RCB’s attack delivered consistently throughout the campaign, with experienced pacers and a dynamic spin duo making key contributions, saying, “I feel Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar certainly contributed a lot. The two spinners, Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma, were also a surprise package. The bowling unit performed exceptionally well for them to win the trophy.”

He added that while Kohli remains the biggest draw for fans at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, the strength of the bowling lineup now gives supporters greater confidence in the team’s ability to defend totals. “So, I think the fans will certainly throng the Chinnaswamy Stadium to watch Virat Kohli. But I’m sure the fans will also be proud that they have a really strong bowling unit that can defend,” he said.

He also weighed in on the long-running debate over the most successful franchise in IPL history, placing the Mumbai Indians alongside the Chennai Super Kings as the benchmark teams in the league. “MI is very close to, or almost the same as CSK when you talk about the greatest team in the IPL, because you can’t really distinguish one from the other,” he noted.

He explained that the two franchises have taken different routes to sustained success, with CSK often relying on proven experience, while Mumbai have built their reputation by spotting emerging talent.

“CSK has always been consistent with their selections. They go for people who have been there and done that. Only last year did we see a few youngsters come through. Whereas MI has gone slightly out and looked at players whom nobody had seen before, some who had done well at the domestic level. So people like Hardik, Krunal and Jasprit all came through those ranks. And then we saw what happened. Recently, you had the likes of Nehal Wadhera, who has now moved to PBKS, but performed really well for MI,” Kumble stated.

Meanwhile, former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara shared his views on MS Dhoni’s batting role for CSK, suggesting the veteran could make a greater impact if he came in earlier in the order.

“I don’t see a point in MS Dhoni batting at Number 8 or 9, because he has the potential to turn games around single-handedly, something no other batter in the CSK team can do. If he bats for only five or ten balls, imagine what Mahi bhai can do if he plays 25 or 30 balls,” Pujara said.

Drawing on his experience with the Chennai franchise, Pujara also spoke about the team’s culture, describing it as an environment where players are given clarity and long-term backing.

“I’ve been in the CSK setup. In that environment, players are very comfortable, it’s like a family. When you’re in that setup, there is clarity about what is expected of you as a player. Loyalty also comes into the picture because most of CSK’s players, if you look at the history, once a player is part of that setup, he stays there for a long time. There is a transition in the team now, so there is a bit more preference for young players,” Pujara added.

IANS