Dinesh Karthik hailed Bhuvneshwar Kumar as India's best T20 bowler after Jasprit Bumrah, a sentiment echoed by RCB coach Andy Flower. Kumar's performance in the last two IPL seasons, with 45 wickets, was crucial to RCB's success.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured their second consecutive IPL title by defeating Gujarat Titans in the 2026 final. The victory is attributed to a strong backroom team including Head Coach Andy Flower, Director of Cricket Mo Bobat, Mentor Dinesh Karthik, and talent scout Malolan Rangarajan.
Dinesh Karthik cautioned against comparing Rajasthan Royals' 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to Sachin Tendulkar, highlighting the different challenges the young batter will face. Karthik also discussed the IPL's evolution into a 'different beast' driven by data and its growth as a career option.
Dinesh Karthik's high praise for Bhuvneshwar Kumar has resurfaced after the pacer's match-winning IPL 2026 performance. Kumar's stellar 4/23 against Mumbai Indians, followed by a crucial batting cameo, has reignited calls for his T20I return, with Ravichandran Ashwin backing the 'BringBackBhuvi' campaign. He currently leads the Purple Cap race.
Virat Kohli is 11 runs away from becoming the first player in IPL history to reach 9000 runs, needing just 11 runs in RCB's match against Delhi Capitals on Monday. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru star has amassed 8989 runs in 274 matches since 2008, far ahead of contemporaries like Rohit Sharma (7183) and David Warner (6565). Kohli has scored 328 runs in seven innings this season at an average of 54.66 and strike rate of 163.18.
Virat Kohli is just 11 runs away from becoming the first player to reach 9000 IPL runs ahead of Delhi Capitals clash. With 328 runs this season, he continues his remarkable consistency. Dinesh Karthik praised Kohli’s ability to reinvent himself and his disciplined preparation, calling it a learning experience for younger players.
Krunal Pandya has emerged as Royal Challengers Bengaluru's go-to finger-spinner in IPL 2026, distinguishing himself through innovative variations including well-directed bouncers, precise yorkers, and varied pace. The 35-year-old has bowled 25 overs in 7 games, outpacing seasoned spinners Axar Patel (23 overs in 7 games) and Ravindra Jadeja (15 overs in 8 games). RCB batting coach Dinesh Karthik praised Pandya for "pushing the boundaries of what a finger-spinner means," noting his ability to create doubt in batters through unconventional bowling. The left-armer's last international appearance was in 2021 against Sri Lanka in Colombo, and he has expressed strong desire to wear the Indian jersey again.
