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BBC News
21-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Inspirational' Kohli still hungry for success with RCB
Royal Challengers Bengaluru head coach Andy Flower says that "inspirational" Virat Kohli is still "extremely hungry" for success with the superstar Kohli has been with RCB for the entirety of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and led the side between 2013-2021. He was integral to his side's run to the play-offs last year, winning the purple cap for the tournament's leading run-scorer with 741 runs in 15 innings. "He's been brilliant to work with," former England Test coach Flower told the BBC Stumped podcast. "It was great seeing him up close, in the dressing room, in meetings, in training, in competition. He's a really impressive guy, and last season was testing for all of us, particularly for the leadership group because we had such a bad start to the season."In our first eight games we'd lost seven of them - luckily we turned it round and part of the reason for that was the leadership from within the playing group and Virat was a huge part of that. "He was brilliant under pressure. He also evolved his own game as the season wore on which I thought from a 35, 36-year-old player that had done everything in the game, was amazing to witness."India batter Rajat Patidar has been named as RCB captain for 2025 and Flower also credited Kohli's influence on the younger players as a big motivation for the side. "When he leads, other people follow. He's a great role model for the way people train, he's still extremely hungry, he's brilliant in the field, and listening to him talk in a team huddle and in meetings, he knows the game inside out and he's an inspirational guy."
BBC News
20-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Long wait for first IPL title brings 'opportunity' for RCB
Royal Challengers Bengaluru are still waiting for their first Indian Premier League (IPL) title after 18 years, but head coach Andy Flower says the expectation presents an opportunity rather than added pressure. They reached the play-offs in 2024 after a remarkable turnaround from losing seven of their first eight matches, but eventually lost to the Rajasthan described RCB as "one of the biggest franchises in world sport" which has been aided by Virat Kohli's presence in the side since the beginning of the tournament. "RCB and its fans should expect success," Flower, who was appointed head coach in 2023, told the BBC Stumped podcast."I would not necessarily see the fact that RCB has not won it, as a desperate situation or added pressure. It's a great opportunity, it's never been done before. "It's a very exciting opportunity for us. If we can bring some of that success and build an organisation or a dressing room that will give us that sort of success, that will be incredibly rewarding for us and our fans." RCB women won the Women's Premier League in to the full interview with Andy Flower on the Stumped podcast on BBC Sounds.
BBC News
17-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
RCB aim for first IPL title with 'more balanced' squad
Royal Challengers Bengaluru head coach Andy Flower says his squad is "more balanced" than previous editions of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which he hopes will deliver the franchise's first men's took charge of RCB in 2023 and they reached the play-offs in 2024 before defeat by Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator. The former England coach told the BBC Stumped podcast that their recruitment for 2025 shifted from RCB's usual batting-heavy strategy."We retained three players from last year. Instead of going for pace [bowlers], we're going for experience and skill, and if we put together a good tactical game I think we can not only defend but attack wisely at the Chinnaswamy and other grounds," Flower said."We've got some really good balance in our squad, good power in the batting line-up and real skill and experience in the bowling line-up, which is a little bit of a change for RCB. "Usually they prioritise their batting line-up with some big batting stars and we've shifted that to what we think is a more balanced team this year." RCB's bowling attack includes Australia seamer Josh Hazlewood and India fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar, while England batter Phil Salt and all-rounders Liam Livingstone and Jacob Bethell are also in the batter Rajat Patidar has been named as captain in another significant change for the side, and Flower added that Virat Kohli - who led the side between 2013-2021 - remains a key part of the leadership set-up."Rajat has got all that experience to call on from Virat, and Virat's a big supporter of him, so rather than describing it as a shadow, I feel it's a ballast that can support us. "Rajat has been an outstanding batsman for us, particularly last year, but he's done some special things for RCB prior to that. He's very calm, he's very decisive as a leader."Listen to the full interview with Andy Flower on the Stumped podcast on BBC Sounds.
