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.