MUMBAI: Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s ability to perform under pressure over the last two seasons of Indian Premier League has been a major factor in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s consecutive title wins, said head coach Andy Flower on Monday.
RCB notched a five-wicket win in a one-sided IPL 2026 final on Sunday to clinch their second title in a row, and Flower said the 36-year-old Indian pacer, along with other experienced seniors, has played a major role in the triumph.
Having taken 17 wickets in the 2025 edition, Bhuvneshwar claimed 28 in IPL 2026, just one wicket less than eventual Purple Cap winner Kagiso Rabada of Gujarat Titans.
“Bhuvi has been outstanding for these last two seasons, and it's arguable that we wouldn't have had our success at all over the last two seasons if he hadn't been producing performances under pressure repeatedly that he's done over the last two seasons,” Flower said in a press conference organised by RCB.
The former Zimbabwe skipper said RCB have benefitted immensely from players who have been through crunch situations in international tournaments and big series like the Ashes.
“We're lucky to have some of the personnel in our dressing room. And we're lucky that they can influence the group in such a calm and positive manner,” he said.
“We've got some characters in our dressing room that inspire that level of calmness and confidence. We've spoken at length about Virat (Kohli) already, but bowlers like (Josh) Hazlewood and Bhuvi and KP (Krunal Pandya), those guys are calm under pressure.
“The pressure in IPL is similar to that you experience in playoff stages of World Cups or in Ashes matches...and having people who have done it before, come through in adversity before, those are deeper, stronger levels of confidence than you might have in other individuals that hadn't had those experiences,” he added.
On the night of the final, RCB looked a far more self-assured and confident outfit than Gujarat Titans, who failed in almost all departments despite playing at their home ground in Ahmedabad.
Flower said the confidence and self-assurance came from strong performances in the group stage of the IPL, though admitting that there were some nerves in the dugout.
“I'm glad that it's observable. Sometimes when you're actually in the dressing room or in the dugout or in the training area, you're getting a very close-up view of stuff, but it's nice to hear that even from an external viewpoint, you're seeing that level of confidence,” he said.
“There was a little more jeopardy and uncertainty around last year's title chase. After winning the trophy last year, and then after playing some outstanding cricket through the group phase this year, our confidence levels have increased.” Asked about RCB not showing any nerves in the final, Flower replied, “It's also fair to say that you said you didn't observe many nerves. There would have been a lot of nervous people in our dressing room, in our dugout. I was certainly one of them.” “But that deeper level of confidence that comes from testing yourselves against good opposition or in challenging circumstances, and proving to yourself as a group that you are not only able to handle whatever's thrown at you, but you're able to thrive in that high-pressure environment, that produces real confidence,” he added.