Here's why RCB are favorites to win IPL 2026
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), on Sunday, became the first team to qualify for the playoffs of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season.
The achievement came after a thrilling victory over Punjab Kings. The win not only solidified RCB's top position on the points table but also highlighted their well-balanced squad. With nine wins in 13 games, RCB are on the right track to defend their title. On this note, let's look at three reasons why RCB are favorites to win IPL 2026.
A solid batting order
RCB's batting order has been formidable, to say the least this season. While Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal have been mighty consistent at the top, Rajat Patidar and Tim David have been nightmares for bowlers in the middle and death overs. Each of these batters has averaged over 33 while striking at 164-plus in IPL 2026. As per ESPNcricinfo, RCB's average run rate of 10.45 is currently the third-best this year.
What about the bowlers?
The batters have been extremely well complemented by their bowlers. Veteran pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood have formed a lethal pair with the new ball. The former is even leading the Purple Cap race. Rasikh Salam Dar has also done well as the first-change bowler. Krunal Pandya has been the team's lead spinner, besides also being a handy lower-order batter.
Strong bench strength
RCB's squad for this season is truly balanced. Venkatesh Iyer played a brilliant 73*-run knock in the aforementioned game against PBKS, as skipper Patidar missed the fixture. Even in the bowling department, RCB have the services of Jacob Duffy in case Hazlewood or Romario Shepherd sustains any injury. Owing to these strong back-ups, there has been only one instance of RCB losing two successive games.