'Proved you can sustain it': Tendulkar lauds RCB after historic IPL 2026 title win
Ahmedabad, June 1
Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar congratulated Royal Challengers Bengaluru on their successful IPL title defence, praising the franchise for overcoming one of the toughest challenges in sport, sustaining success after reaching the top.
Following RCB's five-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2026 final, Tendulkar took to X to acknowledge the significance of the achievement and the mentality required to remain champions.
RCB became only the third franchise in IPL history to successfully defend the trophy, having ended their long wait for a maiden title in 2025 before backing it up with another dominant campaign this season.
Tendulkar highlighted how expectations change once a team achieves its primary goal. According to the batting icon, winning a championship is one challenge, but maintaining those standards the following season is often even more demanding. He also noted how Bengaluru answered every question that came their way during the season and fully deserved their latest triumph.
"Congratulations to @RCBTweets on winning consecutive @IPL titles. One of the challenges in sport is that success changes the questions you have to answer. After winning once, the task is no longer proving you can do it, but proving you can sustain it. RCB met that challenge impressively this season. A well-deserved achievement!," Tendulkar wrote on X.
RCB entered IPL 2026 as defending champions and handled the pressure impressively, finishing at the top of the league table before carrying their momentum through the playoffs and into the final.
RCB bowlers held GT batters to a par total of 155/8 before chasing it down with two overs to spare. Former skipper Virat Kohli stood strong throughout the chase and remained unbeaten, scoring a 42-ball 75 and rightfully claiming the Player of the Match award as RCB became just the third team, after CSK and MI, to defend the title.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Finally, RCB's management and support staff deserve huge credit. Gone are the days of "RCB is just a social media team." They built a balanced squad with solid bowling, which was missing for years. Winning trophies means solving the right problems, and they did exactly that.
As a CSK fan, I must say this is impressive. RCB has joined the elite club of defending champions, something only MI and CSK had done before. But let's not get carried away, consistency over a decade is real dominance. Still, this is a great start for RCB. Ee sala Cup namde! 🏆🏆
Sachin's words hit deep. "Success changes the questions you have to answer" — that's such a truth for any sportsperson. RCB handled the tag of champions brilliantly. They didn't just survive, they dominated the league stage and playoffs. Kohli's leadership even without being captain has been key. 🏏💪
One respectful criticism though: RCB should build a domestic talent pipeline stronger than just relying on big buys. Teams like CSK and MI have farm systems. But for now, enjoy the glory! 🥂 Two titles in two years is no joke.
Outstanding response to all the critics who said 2025 was a fluke. The bowlers, the chasers, the whole unit performed like true champions. And what a chase! GT set a par total, but Kohli made it look easy. This RCB side has character
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.