Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are still enjoying the celebrations of their second straight IPL title, but Virat Kohli getting the Player of the Match honor has left former Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin baffled. Kohli got the honour for his unbeaten match-winning knock in the IPL 2026 final against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
However, Ashwin feels another RCB star deserved the Player of the Match honor for what he achieved throughout the 2026 season. It was another memorable night for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru as they defeated the Gujarat Titans by five wickets in the final on Sunday (May 31) and became only the third team in IPL history to win back-to-back titles.
In the IPL 2026 final, Virat Kohli and Bhuvneshwar Kumar stole the show. The experienced duo played a huge role in RCB's IPL 2026 title-winning campaign and helped the team defend its crown. The seamer gave RCB an early breakthrough by dismissing the dangerous Sai Sudharsan during the powerplay and later removed Jason Holder in the death overs.
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His disciplined bowling helped restrict Gujarat Titans to 155/8 in the summit clash. Bhuvneshwar finished with the impressive figures of 2/29 in his four overs. Chasing the target on the tough Ahmedabad surface, Kohli once again showed why he remains RCB's biggest match-winner.
The dashing right-hander gave RCB a flying start alongside Venkatesh Iyer and continued to guide the chase unbeaten on 75 off 42 balls against Gujarat Titans. The former captain then wrapped up the match with a massive straight six, helping RCB win by five wickets.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar deserved major awards in IPL 2026: Ravichandran Ashwin
After the match, Kohli was adjudged Player of the Match for his stunning efforts, but Ravichandran Ashwin believes that Bhuvneshwar Kumar was one of the biggest reasons behind RCB's successful IPL 2026 campaign and should have been given the tournament's top individual honors.
Ravichandran Ashwin said on his YouTube channel, "Bhuvneshwar Kumar was just fabulous throughout the tournament. For me, he should be the Player of the Tournament and should also have been the Player of the Match.”
Notably, the Player of the Tournament award was given to Rajasthan Royals’ teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Well, Bhuvneshwar had a terrific IPL 2026 season with the RCB. The veteran pacer finished with 28 wickets in 16 matches at an excellent economy rate of 7.95.
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Even though he narrowly missed the Purple Cap, Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s experience, smart bowling, and leadership proved crucial in RCB's successful title defense. On the other hand, Kohli finished as RCB’s leading run-scorer with 675 runs in 16 matches with an impressive strike rate of 165.85.
Aakash Chopra issues warning to RCB after back-to-back IPL title triumphs
Meanwhile, Aakash Chopra feels RCB have built a very strong team, but much of their success depends on key players staying available throughout the tournament. The cricket pundit has stressed that injuries could become a serious concern for them in the next season, as they may not get many quality replacement options in the 2027 auction.
Chopra said on Ashwin’s YouTube video, “The problem with RCB is that they are just one injury away from things going bad, and I really hope that doesn't happen. Fingers crossed, toes crossed; make sure everyone is fit because you will get limited backups in a mini-auction.”
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