More than a year ago, when Andy Flower took over as head coach of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the club was still working to make up for years of lost chances. Smriti Mandhana led the women's squad to its first Women's Premier League championship. But Flower enjoyed the challenge, rather than feeling more pressure to perform, noting that it was one of the primary reasons he accepted the position in the first place.

“It is one of the main reasons I wanted to take this job,” he told Hindustan TImes last year. “It gives me a very exciting opportunity to see if we can do something special with RCB.”

Even prior to his debut as head coach of RCB, Flower was focused on the title. He kept his promise one year later.

as Virat Kohli put it after winning the championship, a club known for its near misses, showy players, and "Royally Loyal" supporters – The start of a significant transformation was signaled by Flower's advent. In the way RCB approached and played their cricket, not simply in the outcomes.

"Simplifying" the process was one of the words Flower frequently employed when speaking with this publication. Regardless of where it occurs, whether on the field or elsewhere. And following the 2024 season, he implemented that idea by beginning over and completely changing the strategy from the bottom up.

Relying on well-known names and historical reputations had been a long-standing strategy for RCB, which had previously fallen prey to this trap. The Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, and Chris Gayle trio defined RCB's brand during the mid-2010s as brilliant, star-studded, but flawed. The squad was overly top-heavy, with a dearth of strategic versatility and bowling depth.

With Flower, the 2025 auction indicated a clear break from that paradigm. In spite of Indian heavyweights like Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer being available, RCB held back. Instead, they focused on building a team with role clarity, selecting experienced, adaptable, and somewhat unattractive players who aligned with the team's strategic goals.

"The chance of winning a tournament is right there in front of us, but my personal view of taking on a challenge like that is always simplifying the route," Flower told this publication.

They placed their trust in foreign players like Phil Salt, Josh Hazlewood, Tim David, and Romario Shepherd while investing in an Indian core of Krunal Pandya, Jitesh Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Suyash Sharma. Although the majority of these purchases didn't make headlines, they were carefully chosen with a thoughtful approach. At different points during RCB's successful run, each of them performed crucial tasks.

"Knowing what kind of players we want and which player would fit in which role, I thought we did a great job selecting a very balanced team. When we were selecting the team, we would assign players specific positions and observe how well they performed," Dinesh Karthik, the team's mentor, had stated.

Significant returns from big calls

Will Jacks' release during the auction caused a lot of consternation among RCB supporters. Although it was a daring decision, Phil Salt lived up to the confidence with a series of thunderous starts.

The backroom staff also contacted customers even outside of auction day. The administration chose Mayank Agarwal, a seasoned campaigner with recent domestic performance, when Devdutt Padikkal was ruled out due to injury. RCB's choice was justified by Agarwal's 41* in a vital chase against LSG, along with Jitesh Sharma's storming 85*. With Mayank making a significant 24 in the final, nearly every batter in RCB's lineup had a stop-start performance.

The environment Flower attempted to create was intentional, even outside of the game. The key bit, according to Bobat, is that Andy and I are trying to create a kind of atmosphere where people feel safe, supported, responsible for their choices, and hopefully able to display their talents.

One of the most daring decisions RCB made this season was giving Rajat Patidar the captaincy. The move caused consternation because the franchise gave the captaincy at this level to a player with no notable leadership background.

However, it was successful.

Through his consistency and composure, Patidar gained respect and rose to the occasion. Flower and Bobat were diligent in forming a group that wasn't centered on a small number of people. This was also evident in the side's performances, as various players stepped up to lead RCB to victories in almost every match.

As a result, the team remained calm. This season, RCB never seemed shaken, regardless of whether they were recovering from early losses, withstanding close chases, or protecting small totals.

In crucial situations, their bowling unit, which was previously seen as a weakness in past campaigns, maintained its composure. With the new ball, Bhuvneshwar and Hazlewood established control, while Krunal and Shepherd were helpful as utility players.

RCB's defense of 191 against Punjab Kings in the championship game reflected the principles that Flower had instilled. unflinching, clinical, and calm.

This wasn't only RCB's title in several respects. Andy Flower's vindication. Just a reminder that every trophy is backed by a system, which consists of the appropriate individuals, positions, and attitude. Flower's initial words, when he proudly proclaimed that joining a side without an IPL championship was an "exciting" opportunity, were reiterated by this victory, making it all the more gratifying.

The desire to pursue the incomplete was the deciding factor.

Read Also: Virat Kohli’s Heartfelt Tribute to Anushka Sharma During RCB’s Victory Parade: ‘She’s Shared Every Moment Since 2014’

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