Ahmedabad, June 1 (IANS) Royal Challengers Bengaluru all-rounder Krunal Pandya described the franchise's successful IPL title defence as a reward for years of patience and planning, while also celebrating his own milestone of winning a fifth IPL trophy.

Having played a key role in RCB's rise over the past two seasons, Krunal admitted that each championship occupies a special place in his career and that comparing them is nearly impossible.

“Every IPL trophy is special. There’s no doubt about it. It’s like having kids, right? You can’t pick. Similar with IPL trophies because everything is so hard-earned,” Krunal said after the win.

The experienced all-rounder reflected on his personal achievement after lifting the IPL trophy for the fifth time in 11 seasons, as he said, “I’m so glad and grateful that in 11 years, to have five trophies, it’s pretty special for me.”

While players received much of the attention during RCB's title-winning run, Krunal was quick to acknowledge the work done behind the scenes. He credited the franchise's management and coaching staff for assembling a squad capable of winning consecutive championships.

“I mean, obviously, a lot of credit goes to the support staff, right? Mo Bobat, Andy Flower, Dinesh Karthik, Malolan, Omi (Omkar Salvi). I mean, the way they prepared before the auction also last year and the way they set the team, right? The balance of it,” Krunal stated.

According to Krunal, Bengaluru's success was built long before the first ball of the season was bowled.

“So, again, I mean, sometimes half of the battle is won in the auction. I guess they did a pretty good job. And then eventually, it was on us to go out and deliver. And yeah, I mean, glad that we were able to, you know, have a hold on the trophy back-to-back,” the all-rounder added.

For the 35-year-old, however, the achievement extends beyond the dressing room. Krunal said the back-to-back triumphs carry special significance for a fanbase that waited 18 seasons to witness the franchise's first title.

“Yeah, definitely. Again, all those 18 years of waiting and then winning two back-to-back trophies. This is for the RCB fans. Wherever we have gone, they have supported us,” he said.

He also reserved a special mention for longtime RCB stalwart Virat Kohli, who finally experienced title success in 2025 before helping the franchise defend its crown this season.

“And obviously for Virat, it’s been pretty special. Right after 18 and 19 seasons, having two back-to-back trophies. So yeah, it’s amazing,” he concluded.

--IANS

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