‘We’re very lucky to have him’: Andy Flower’s MASSIVE praise for Virat Kohli after RCB’s IPL 2026 triumph

Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s successful IPL 2026 title defence prompted head coach Andy Flower to heap praise on Virat Kohli, describing the star batter’s passion and commitment as “genuinely inspiring“. Following RCB’s five-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Flower said the franchise is fortunate to have a player of Kohli’s calibre and influence in the dressing room.

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Kohli smashed a classic 42-ball 75 not out, laced with nine fours and three sixes, as RCB completed a chase of 156 to retain the title they won at the same venue in 2025. Kohli also reached his fifty in 25 balls, the fastest he’s reached the half-century mark in his history of playing the IPL.

‘His hunger and drive is genuinely inspiring’: Flower

“You asked about Virat’s hunger and how that affects him. When I was in the dressing room last night after the game, I mentioned it actually. His hunger and drive it’s genuinely inspiring. Even for older blokes like me, seeing someone as hungry and driven, as disciplined and as ambitious as he still is, it’s wonderful to witness. And we’re very lucky to have him in the dressing room.

“He sets certain standards, like standards of intensity in the field, for instance, that means that anyone falling below those is going to stand out like a sore thumb. So we don’t need coaches driving intensity on standards in the field, for instance, because he’s living it and doing it. And everyone else has to raise their games to get anywhere near it,” Flower said in a virtual press conference on Monday.

Flower highlights Kohli’s dedication to the game

The former Zimbabwe captain, who coached England to the 2010 Men’s T20 World Cup title win, added, “He works hard at his game, but you can see that he loves it as well. He loves batting. He loves hitting a ball. He loves the feeling of the ball meeting the middle of the bat. I would imagine the craft and mastery that he feels when he’s got a bat in his hands. Again, those standards are easy for people in our training sessions to see, and certainly it just helps everyone head in the right direction.”

Rajat Patidar opens up on Kohli’s leadership influence

RCB skipper Rajat Patidar also acknowledged Kohli’s influence on his own leadership journey after being appointed the side’s captain ahead of winning their first title in the 2025 season. “Regarding Virat bhai, as I said in many press conferences and interviews, his presence makes a lot of difference. For me, it’s great learning. Whenever I’m around him on the field and off the field, I always notice him. I don’t speak much, but I always notice him.

“But whenever I have some kind of doubts regarding the leadership role or taking any decision, I always go to Virat bhai. For me, it’s a great opportunity to learn from the best and the greats of cricket. So, their ideas, inputs, and experience are definitely helping me a lot to grow in my new leadership role,” he said.

Under Patidar’s captaincy, RCB have now won back-to-back IPL titles and have shed their long‑standing reputation as perennial underachievers. The Indore-based batter himself had a standout campaign, scoring 501 runs at a strike rate of 192.69, including a match‑winning 93 not out in Qualifier 1.