
Get addicted to titles, defend IPL crown in 2026: Director Mo Babat to RCB
"This is without question one of the most anticipated trophies in world sport. When we think about what our fans have gone through, when we think about what Virat has gone through all those years. It's a hugely anticipated trophy and the magnitude of that will hit us. When I talk about what we have gone through this season, one word comes to my mind: Special. The way we have played has been special. That's inspired people. When we think about games we clawed us back into, the aggressive nature of our cricket is special. Environment and culture of the team helps you win and that's what we have achieved," Bobat said.RCB won all seven of their away games in the league stage and backed it up with victories in both the Qualifier and the final, played at neutral venues. The season faced a mid-tournament interruption due to military tensions between India and Pakistan, but the team regrouped and returned stronger after the break."Everybody contributed. There were away wins. That's a special thing we ticked off. Something other teams have not done before. Think about the disruptions we had. When everybody went home. How we pulled back and had a restart. Injuries and all sorts of things we fought back. In the years to come, could be tomorrow, could be weeks or years to come. When you see somebody from this room, you will know that you have shared this season together. That's the most special feeling. That's what sports is all about. That's what winning the trophies is all about," he said. You May Also Like

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


News18
23 minutes ago
- News18
Ex-India Opener Feels RCB Star Is 'Best Finisher In T20 Cricket' Right Now
Last Updated: The 29-year-old RCB star has played five T20Is in 2025 and, with the help of 15 fours and 27 sixes, has amassed a total of 265 runs in four innings. Australian middle-order batter Tim David has been in red-hot form these days. The 29-year-old right-handed batter from Singapore who plays for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the cash-rich Indian Premier League has scored a total of 265 runs in five T20Is for the Australian team in 2025. In his last four T20I innings, David has scored 102 not out from 37 balls and 30 from 12 balls against the West Indies and 83 from 52 balls and 50 runs from 24 balls against South Africa. His batting strike rate in the shortest format of the game this year is 212.00. During the T20I match played between Australia and the West Indies in Basseterre on July 25, he completed his century in just 37 balls, which helped him break the record of scoring the fastest century in T20Is for Australia. David's red-hot form with the bat these days earned him big praise from former Indian opener Aakash Chopra. In a video uploaded by Aakash on his YouTube channel, he said that David is the best finisher in the world right now. 'He's growing in stature and how. See his figures in the last five matches (265 runs, 1 century, 2 fifties, 212 strike rate, 15 fours, 27 sixes, and a batting average of 88.33). He's playing at a different level. He's batting like nobody can catch him. He was a steal deal for RCB (signed for Rs 3 crore in the IPL 2025 mega auction). He scored runs in IPL 2025 (187 in 12 matches) and helped his team win matches. He's probably the best finisher in T20 cricket right now. The way he's batting and the consistency with which he is batting – everything is falling in place. Tim David has been absolutely outstanding." Chopra also made a bold prediction for David's Australian teammate Cameron Green and said that the former Mumbai Indians and RCB star could be the most expensive player in the IPL 2026 auction, which is likely to take place later this year. Green has played seven T20Is for Australia in 2025 and, with the help of three fifties, has scored 249 runs. He missed the 2025 edition of the IPL due to an injury. 'I think he can be the most expensive player in the IPL 2026 auction. Since he has made a return to international cricket, his batting form has been incredible. He is not ready to bowl at the moment, but he will start doing it at some stage. He could actually break the bank. Log inke upar bahut paisa udane wale hai," Chopra said. In the IPL 2023 auction, Green was signed for Rs 17.50 crore by the Mumbai Indians, and he joined RCB in a trade deal worth Rs 17.50 crore ahead of the IPL 2024 auction. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.


News18
38 minutes ago
- News18
India's New Captaincy Puzzle: Can Rohit, Gill, SKY & Pandya Fit Together?
1/10 While on one side, Shubman Gill's triumph of a drawn Test series in England has given India new hope in the post-Virat Kohli era in the longest format, it has also presented the country with another huge captaincy puzzle. (AP) Currently, India have three different captains for different formats: Gill for Tests, Rohit Sharma for ODIs and Suryakumar Yadav for T20Is. Reports have started to emerge that Gill is being seen as an heir for both Rohit, 38, and Suryakumar, 34, in white-ball cricket eventually. (AP) BCCI are said to favor one captain for all formats to maintain stability and consistency. (PTI) But it won't be as easy as it seems. Or at least, the transition would unlikely be as smooth as the Test one, where Rohit retired before the squad for England was named, and when signs were obvious that he wouldn't be picked as captain. (AFP) If not Rohit, then Gill is a clear successor, given he is established as an opener in the format. But there will be questions like, 'Why not Shreyas Iyer?', who's arguably the best batter in the side after Rohit and Kohli and has established himself as a shrewd white-ball leader with an IPL title and another final to his name. (AP) T20Is are more complicated. Here, Gill, who last played a 20-over match for India in 2024, isn't nearly as cemented. Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma have solidified their spot as openers and Tilak Varma has been excellent at number three. Gill doesn't quite have a place here yet. How can, then, the team give him vice-captaincy and make him Surya's successor? (PTI) For that to happen, the team will have to remove Axar Patel from being Surya's deputy. The BCCI and Gill himself will need to compete with captaincy ambitions of Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, Samson, among others, who are all in prime age and would feel they are readier and more deserving to be Surya's heir. Such situations generally bring friction. (PTI) The question that also needs asking here is, does one-man-all-format-captaincy even work? MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Rohit all fulfilled that job but with contrasting results. Dhoni won an ICC title in each format, Kohli was the most successful in Tests but struggled in white-ball while Rohit was the opposite of Kohli. (@ShubmanGill/X) In this packed schedule of matches almost every week and ICC tournaments every year, it'll need a monumental effort from Gill or anyone to maintain their performance and perhaps even health as an all-format captain. (BCCI)


Hindustan Times
43 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Did Irfan Pathan's criticism of Rohit Sharma lead to his IPL commentary exit? New Sydney Test interview details emerge
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan broke his silence on being removed from commentary for the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL). Reports had suggested he was snubbed for "bringing personal grudges on-air" and targeting players with whom he "had a fallout a few years ago." While no names were explicitly mentioned, Rohit Sharma was widely speculated to be among them. Pathan has now addressed the matter. Did Rohit Sharma criticism cost Irfan Pathan his IPL commentary spot? On Lallantop's show Guest in the Newsroom, Pathan was asked point-blank whose criticism had led to his commentary snub in the IPL, and the former World Cup winner explained that it was part of his duty as a commentator to provide honest analysis for the fans rather than shield players. "Look, I believe that the job of commentators is to tell the story beyond what is visible, what is happening, why it is happening, and why it is happening. What can happen, why and how can it happen? This is the job of a commentator. If a player performs well, then praise him. If he cannot do so, then criticise him. The responsibility of the commentator is not for the player but for the fans," he said. The veteran cricketer then spoke about criticising Rohit for his performance in Test cricket during the 2024/25 season, when he scored just 164 runs across eight matches, with only one fifty to show. Pathan explained that he only wanted to tell the truth to the fans. "Rohit Sharma is an amazing white-ball player. However, his average in Test cricket that year was 6. So we said that if Rohit was not the captain, he would not have got a place in the playing eleven," he said. Earlier on Wednesday, Lallantop released a teaser of their interview with Pathan, in which he sensationally revealed how commentators were forced to back Rohit despite his below-par performance in Test cricket, following the former India Test captain's decision to 'opt out' of the Sydney game against Australia. It has now been revealed that Pathan's comment was merely a follow-up response to his clarification on why he was removed from IPL commentary. "People say that we have supported Rohit over the top. Obviously, if anyone comes on your broadcasting channel, you will not misbehave with them. Like you have invited me, I have come, so you will show politeness. And you should show politeness. When Rohit also came, he was our guest. It was presented as if we are supporting him. But we were the ones who said that he does not deserve a place. However, this did not work. The interview thing was more talked about," he said.