Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) need to fix several issues quickly as they try to keep their IPL 2026 title defense on track after a worrying slump in form mid-season.Their next encounter against Mumbai Indians in Raipur has become an important one for the red and gold team after back-to-back defeats against Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants. RCB currently sits fourth in the points table with six wins and four losses, and their remaining four matches could determine how their season unfolds.One of the main concerns was the drop in performance from the middle order. RCB started the season strongly with the top three being Phil Salt, Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal. They also had a lot of batting options in captain Rajat Patidar, Jitesh Sharma, Venkatesh Iyer, Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd and Tim David.In the first five matches, RCB from No. 4 to No. 8 averaged 39.30 and scored at a strike rate of 190.77, both best among all teams. They scored two fifty while hitting 23 fours and 33 sixes. But in the next five games, the numbers dropped sharply. The average fell to 21, the worst among all teams in that period, while the strike rate fell to 148.58. Only fifty came during that stage, with 23 fours and 23 sixes recorded.
Salt’s injury also hurt the team. He played six matches and scored 202 runs at an average of 33.66 and a strike rate of 168.33, including a fifty, before a finger injury forced him to return to the UK. RCB did not share many details about the injury.In Salt’s absence, Jacob Bethel gets a chance at the top of the standings. Bethell caused a stir after scoring a century in the T20 World Cup semi-final against India in Wankhede, but he has struggled in the IPL so far, scoring just 43 runs in four innings, with a highest score of 20. Romario Shepard’s season also didn’t go according to plan. Although known for his batting ability, he scored only 79 runs in six innings at an average of 26.33 and a strike rate of 143.63, with a best score of 23 not out. In the previous match against LSG, he struggled during the 20-run chase in the final over against Duran Digvesh Rathi.His bowling numbers were also poor. Shepherd took just five wickets in nine matches at an average of 44.00, an economy rate of 12.94 and a strike rate of 20.40.
Among players with at least five wickets this season, he has the second-worst economy rate behind Shardul Thakur’s 13.57.Jitesh Sharma has also endured a tough campaign. After a strong season last year, the wicket-keeper-batsman managed just 64 runs in eight innings at an average of 8.00 and a strike rate of 108.47, with a best score of 23. His struggles often forced Tim David and Romario Shepherd to bat earlier than expected.RCB also did not get the expected returns from Josh Hazlewood. Nicknamed “Hazlegod” for his ability to provide assistance in pressure situations, Hazlewood took nine wickets in seven matches at an average of 28.77 and an economy rate of 9.41, including a one-wicket four-wicket haul.But in the matches that RCB lost, their numbers were much weaker. In defeats this season, Hazlewood has taken just three wickets at an average of 62.33 and an economy rate of 11.68.The spin department has also suffered. Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma were effective in the first five matches, with the RCB spinners taking 11 wickets at an average of 27.63 and an economy rate of 9.21. In the next five matches, they managed to take just five wickets, with the bowling average rising to 42.16 and the strike rate to 30, the worst during that phase. The only improvement came in the economy rate, which fell to 8.2.Krunal took 10 wickets in 10 matches at an average of 27.00 and an economy rate of 8.30, while Suyash took seven wickets in nine matches at an average of 38.42 and an economy rate of 8.45.
But RCB needs a share of them, not just control.Virat Kohli’s aggressive batting style has also become a talking point. Since IPL 2024, Kohli has improved his strike rate and sixes significantly. This season, he has scored 379 runs in 10 matches at a strike rate of 164.06, his highest ever in an IPL season, along with three fifties.But RCB’s results suggest that his wicket is more important than ever. According to ESPNCricinfo, in the 40 innings that Kohli has played since the start of IPL 2024, there have been 20 innings in which he has faced more than 30 balls.
RCB won 18 of those matches and lost only two. In the other 20 innings where they got out within 30 balls, RCB lost 14 and won just six.In all four defeats this season, Kohli has faced less than 30 balls. Against LSG and GT, he scored 0 and 28 respectively as RCB lost by nine runs and were out for 155. Against Delhi Capitals, he scored 19 before being out to Lungi Ngidi, after which RCB gradually lost momentum and finished with 175/8.
In the defeat to Rajasthan Royals, Kohli made 32 runs before falling to Ravi Bishnoi for the third wicket at 58 runs. RCB fell to 125/7 before a mid-order recovery took it to 200.RCB has enough Indian and overseas batting options and can adapt to different match situations, but Kohli is still the key figure in the batting line-up.Of RCB’s 1,862 runs this season, 896 runs – 48.12 per cent – came while Kohli was at the crease. His batting presence at the other end often helped players play with more freedom, knowing that Kohli could control the innings. That’s why his wickets have become so important to RCB’s results this season.