RCB will enter the IPL 2026 season as defending champions.
On the eve of the fixture, RCB head coach Andy Flower emphasized that while the team is proud of their maiden IPL title win last season, they are treating this as a new challenge and not dwelling on past success.
"Of course, we are the holders from last year, but this is a brand new year, and we're all looking forward to the challenge. One of the truths in life is that change is always there. We are a different group now; the players are a year older, and our opponents have evolved in certain ways. Conditions might also be different, so the challenge of this IPL will be completely different to the last one, and we're excited about that," Flower said, as per a press release from RCB.
Flower acknowledged that RCB lost their first three home matches at Chinnaswamy Stadium during the previous season but successfully used those experiences as a learning curve.
"We lost our first three matches at Chinnaswamy last year, and we learned from those experiences. Conditions might be slightly different this time as well, so we'll have to assess that. But at your home venue, you should have a better understanding of the nuances of the conditions than your opposition. We've been practising here and talking a lot about those aspects, so I'd like to think we'll be slightly ahead of the opposition on our own surface," he added.
The coach also commented on RCB’s leadership group, hailing captain Rajat Patidar and his deputy Jitesh Sharma.
"It's pretty amazing that in Rajat's first year of captaincy, he led RCB to the trophy. He's a very likeable man, and he's well respected in the dressing room. He stays nice and calm, which the bowlers really appreciate. Jitesh is a very good deputy as well. He's energetic, tactically aware and sees a lot of the game from behind the stumps, so having those two working together around the square is valuable for the team," he remarked.
Flower expressed immense confidence in senior batter Virat Kohli’s form and mental state. "Virat is in a really good space mentally. He's very comfortable with himself but still incredibly hungry, and watching him strike the ball in training, he looks at the peak of his powers," he said.
Andy Flower backed the domestic seam bowling options to step up as RCB deal with the early absence of Josh Hazlewood and the loss of Yash Dayal for the season.
"We're happy with the Indian seamers in the squad. Rasikh is a better bowler than he was last year, and he's worked very hard on his game. We're also pleased to have recruited Mangesh, and we've been encouraged by Abhinandan's progress recently. All three have qualities that put them in good shape if they get their opportunities in this tournament," he stated.
Flower also shared an update on Hazlewood, who has been battling persistent injuries since late 2025.
"Hazlewood arrived yesterday, and he's looking fit. It's great to have him back around the dressing room and involved in our meetings again. He won't be ready for tomorrow because he's just arrived, but we'll monitor his fitness closely, and we're looking forward to him making his entrance into the IPL soon," he said.
(With ANI Inputs)