AHMEDABAD : Rajat Patidar credited head coach Andy Flower for transforming the culture at the Royal Challengers Bengaluru after the franchise secured a second consecutive IPL title with victory over the Gujarat Titans.
Bengaluru successfully defended their championship on Sunday, chasing down a target of 156 to claim a five-wicket win in the final, with Virat Kohli leading the charge with an unbeaten 75 from 42 deliveries.
Flower, appointed ahead of the 2024 season, has overseen a dramatic turnaround for Bengaluru, who had previously earned a reputation as perennial underachievers after finishing runners-up three times in the tournament’s first 17 editions.
“I’ve played five seasons of the IPL and he is one of the best coaches,” Patidar told reporters. “The way he handles players, not only those who play, but also the players who aren’t playing and the first-timers, he spends a lot of time with every individual.”
Patidar said the team’s environment had undergone a significant shift since his arrival, highlighting the coaching staff’s emphasis on treating every squad member equally.
“The culture has changed,” he said. “There have been a lot of changes in the mindset of players. The coaching staff treats every player equally — that’s a big change.”
The victory extended Bengaluru’s recent dominance and, speaking shortly after the final, Patidar revealed the franchise has already set its sights on achieving an unprecedented third consecutive IPL title.
“It’s my birthday. There can’t be a better gift than this,” said Patidar, who turned 32 on Monday.
“We have won back-to-back. We’ll celebrate, but the focus will be on how we can now do this three in a row.”
No team has previously won three consecutive IPL championships.
