Royal Challengers Bengaluru director of cricket Mo Bobat has credited the team’s impressive IPL 2026 campaign to what he described as a “hunter mindset”, saying the franchise was determined to avoid complacency after winning its maiden title last season.
RCB have been one of the standout teams this year, becoming the first side to qualify for the playoffs with 18 points from 13 matches. With one league game remaining against Lucknow Super Giants on May 22, Bengaluru are still in contention to finish at the top of the table.
Speaking at the third edition of the RCB Innovation Lab’s Indian Sports Summit, Bobat said the franchise consciously worked towards resetting mentally after last season’s triumph.
“I didn’t want it to feel like we had climbed Mount Everest. We wanted to just keep climbing, keep hunting,” Bobat said.
“We’ve talked with that language internally, just trying to stay in that hunter mindset. For myself and even the senior players, quickly adapting and resetting mindsets towards what comes next is really important.”
Bobat explained that one of the biggest challenges after winning a title is maintaining motivation and preventing satisfaction from creeping into the dressing room.
“Sport is unforgiving. You win a trophy and very quickly the world moves on,” he said.
“You’ve got to balance enjoying what you’ve achieved while also shifting attention towards what’s next. We’re keen to go all the way again this season, but there are no guarantees.”
Managing personalities in IPL not easy
Bobat also spoke about the complexities of managing a diverse IPL dressing room featuring international stars, senior Indian players and young cricketers entering the league for the first time.
“You could have a 19-year-old on his first IPL contract alongside someone in their mid-thirties who has done everything in the game,” he said.
He also pointed out that auction values can sometimes distort perceptions within squads.
“What players earn isn’t necessarily their worth. Sometimes a younger player earns more simply because that particular skill set is in demand.”
According to Bobat, the challenge lies in aligning every individual towards one common objective within a very limited preparation window.
“In the IPL, you get eight to ten days together before the season starts, so building that alignment quickly is not easy,” he added.
Bobat praises Rajat Patidar’s leadership style
Bobat also opened up on Rajat Patidar’s evolution as captain, describing him as very different from former skipper Faf du Plessis.
While du Plessis preferred to be heavily involved in all aspects of leadership, Bobat said Patidar focuses more on on-field tactics and trusts the management group with off-field responsibilities.
“Rajat is more trusting. He wants an input on the playing XI, but once he crosses the line, that’s where he feels his job starts,” Bobat said.
“He’s become a stronger decision-maker in the middle and has done a very good job of blocking out noise.”
Bobat added that Patidar has gradually improved in handling strong personalities within the dressing room, including senior players like Virat Kohli and Krunal Pandya.
“He’s developing those leadership skills all the time, and it’s been great to watch his evolution so far,” he said.
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