Virat Kohli "Ultimate Alpha" As R Ashwin Names 5 People Behind RCB's IPL Dominance
Virat Kohli, the 'ultimate alpha' of Indian cricket, took the back seat at RCB, allowing Rajat Patidar to lead the side.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru became only the third franchise to win back-to-back Indian Premier League (IPL) titles, successfully defending their crown in the 2026 season. With the likes of Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar being the pillars within the team, there were a few others who did a splendid job behind the scenes to bring the franchise to where it stands today. As former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin picked five people who contributed the most to RCB's success, Kohli's name stood tall because of the sacrifices he made despite being an 'alpha'.
Seeing the way the Bengaluru franchise is playing, Ashwin said that he wouldn't be surprised if they go on to win three titles in a row.
"RCB can even go on to achieve a three-peat. GT [Gujarat Titans] can be extremely proud of themselves, but for this run chase, I want to credit five people: Andy Flower, Mo Bobat, Dinesh Karthik and his support staff, Rajat Patidar, and Virat Kohli," Ashwin said in a video on his YouTube channel.
There's no denying how much Kohli cherishes the spotlight. Despite being the central talking point, no matter which team he plays for, the batter hardly lets the pressure of expectations get to him. At RCB, he took a step back and allowed Rajat Patidar to lead the team after Faf du Plessis' exit. Ashwin was amazed to see how an ultimate alpha like Kohli went to the back of the queue in order to allow Patidar to lead the side.
"The way Virat Kohli took a backseat-he went to the back of the queue and allowed Rajat to lead, becoming a mentor and a big brother to the team... despite being the ultimate alpha, he still did this. Royal Challengers Bengaluru has been a heartbeat for Virat Kohli. For 17 or 18 years, they didn't win a single trophy. This has given all of us a wonderful lesson through the sport and through the IPL: you might not win for 17 years, regardless of how hard you work. But when the opportunity to win arrived in the 18th year, they went all the way and won it. Then in the 19th year, they were the defending champions and successfully became defending champions once again. Now, a hat-trick of titles is also entirely possible if they have a bit of luck," Ashwin said.
"VIRAT KOHLI IS AN ALPHA, STILL HE TOOK A STEP BACK LIKE AN ELDER BROTHER & LET RAJAT LEAD"
— TheFakeFakeer (@TheFakeFakeer) June 1, 2026
R. Ashwin names five people (including Virat Kohli) responsible for such an incredible performance of RCB in the last 2 years:
- Andy Flower
- Mo Bobat
- Dinesh Karthik
- Rajat… pic.twitter.com/L0gK95MNjg
Ashwin, who ended his playing career recently, was also full of praise for RCB head coach Andy Flower and Director of Cricket Mo Bobat for building a perfectly balanced team.
"Andy Flower builds a great squad wherever he goes. In every team, he picks a reliable defensive bowling option, a quality wrist-spinner, and a good variety of fast bowlers, some who can swing the ball and others who can hit the deck hard. His template has remained completely consistent. If anyone wants to understand how to achieve success, just look at the way Andy Flower has managed teams, whether it's the Trent Rockets or anywhere else he goes; he sets up the squad the exact same way. Mo Bobat has collaborated with the backroom staff to build a team where Dinesh Karthik brings the local knowledge. If you remember, it is not only the men's team; the RCB franchise has simultaneously defended both their women's title and their men's title. Four trophies in a matter of two years. It's not easy. It is quite amazing, and no amount of praise for these two would be enough," Ashwin asserted.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Virat Kohli
Ravichandran Ashwin