IPL 2026: How RCB’s pace unit has transformed the team into a fearsome all-weather side
BENGALURU: Royal Challengers Bengaluru have rewritten the script by winning three consecutive home games in IPL 2026, with their pacers playing a key role in the impressive streak.
RCB’s bowling attack outclassed varied opponents such as In contrast, RCB had lost three home matches during IPL 2025, a minor blemish on an otherwise remarkable campaign that ended with their maiden title.
Before this season started, RCB had an unflattering record of 46 defeats and 45 wins here from 96 matches unlike Mumbai Indians or CSK, whose home grounds are generally their fortress.
The first hint of turnaround came on March 28 when Jacob Duffy barged through SRH’s top-order with a three-wicket haul.
Duffy was a backDuffy was a back-up option for rehabilitating Josh Hazlewood but no less in pedigree as he had held the No.1 spot in the ICC T20 rankings for bowlers back in 2025.
“He’s got pace, he’s got bounce, also he moves sideways. Duffy’s height and high delivery point add to the arsenal he brings to the mix. It can be a key factor,” RCB head coach Andy Flower had said after signing Duffy.
All those qualities were evident when he bounced out Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma and Nitish Kumar Reddy.The strapping quick terrorised Lucknow Super Giants top-order with those heavy balls and bounce from the three-quarter length, and even dealt a crushing blow on the left elbow of Rishabh Pant, which restricted his participation in the match.
It was hardly surprising to see him walking away with the man of the match award after a wonderful spell of 4-0-20-1.
Hazlewood pitched an astounding 23 deliveries on his specialised length on Wednesday night, leaving the batters in a cramped space even when they knew what he was doing.I don’t have the skills of a Bumrah or others with slower balls. I keep working on a few different things in training all the time and, hopefully, bring them in when we need them.I think he is looking more sharp. His body has got rest after that (injury break). So, he has become quicker, fitter and he is very confident about his body now. It’s showing in his bowling,” said Jitesh in the post-match press conference.
Another man who has kept it simple then is Bhuvneshwar Kumar as he complemented Hazlewood with a three-wicket haul.
But unlike his colleague, Bhuvneshwar unfurled an assortment of slower bouncers, yorkers, knuckle balls to keep LSG batters in check.The 26-year-old nailed a series of full length deliveries to take three wickets between the 16th and 20th overs. It has helped RCB overcome the absence of controversial pacer Yash Dayal, who was impressive for them in 2025, to a good extent.
So, the regular and back-up pacers have pulled their weight together to exorcise the ‘home venue’ jinx.
The opponents will know that they can’t hope to conquer RCB at home as well, and they are now a fearsome unit across grounds in India.
“Bhuvi summed up the conditions in the first over, and then there were a few field changes.
“In this game (vs LSG), it was more about being accurate, hitting the right length, even using a few cross-seam deliveries and just keeping it simple,” Hazlewood told JioStar. RCB vice-captain Jitesh Sharma underlined that point.
In some ways, Duffy was just following the ethos of Hazlewood here, hitting the hard lengths.