After finally breaking their long title drought, Royal Challengers Bengaluru are entering the IPL 2026 with confidence and some big expectations. And if Ravichandran Ashwin is to be believed, this could just be the beginning of their success story.
R Ashwin feels that RCB’s current squad is strong enough to win not just one but possibly two more IPL titles in the next couple of years. He pointed out that the team now has a well-balanced setup, with solid backup options and smart combinations across departments.
RCB’s journey to success wasn’t straightforward. After the IPL 2024, the franchise made a bold move by retaining only three players — Virat Kohli, Yash Dayal and rising leader Rajat Patidar (who was later appointed as captain). Letting go of big names like Mohammed Siraj and Glenn Maxwell, they chose to rebuild from scratch.
That decision paid off at the IPL 2025 mega auction. The team brought in key players such as Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Tim David and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. With this refreshed lineup, RCB dominated the season and lifted their first ever IPL trophy, ending an 18-year wait.
Ashwin believes that the team’s strength lies in how well they have filled gaps and created like-for-like replacements, making them strong contenders to consistently finish at the top.
RCB will begin their title defence against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 28. However, they might start the season without Josh Hazlewood, who is still recovering from injuries and awaiting clearance.
Interestingly, Ashwin feels this could actually help the team experiment with combinations early on. It may allow them to test different players and strategies before settling into their best XI once everyone is fit.
With a strong squad and momentum on their side, RCB could be gearing up for another golden run.
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