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Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have created history by winning two consecutive IPL titles, but for Venkatesh Iyer, the most unforgettable part of this journey was not just lifting the trophy. Iyer was completely amazed by the incredible passion of the RCB fans throughout the season.
The left-handed batsman joined Royal Challengers Bangalore ahead of IPL 2026 after being released by Kolkata Knight Riders, with whom he won the IPL title in 2024 under the captaincy of Shreyas Iyer.
Venkatesh Iyer surprised by the madness of RCB fan
Recently, Venkatesh Iyer revealed about the extraordinary support the Royal Challengers Bangalore franchise receives across the country. The all-rounder said that RCB’s fan following is on a whole different level and is unlike anything he has seen before in his career.
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The most surprising thing for Iyer was that RCB’s popularity is not limited to Bengaluru or Karnataka. He said that be it Delhi, Ahmedabad, Chennai or Mumbai, the loyal fans of RCB have turned every stadium into their home ground and a sea of red and gold.
RevSportz quoted Venkatesh Iyer as saying: “And as far as the fans are concerned, I have played a few finals before. With respect to Kolkata and other places, it felt completely different. The fandom is something I really experienced when I came to Bengaluru. People from Delhi, Patna, Chennai and even remote places are RCB fans. And the love that RCB players and even former players get is really amazing.” It’s unbelievable.”
People are doing puja and aarti for RCB: Venkatesh Iyer on fans’ unmatched passion
The 2026 season gave Iyer a chance to see the emotional bond between RCB and its fans up close, and he said the emotion, love and respect they gave to the players was incredible.
Iyer further said, “People are doing puja and aarti for RCB so that RCB wins the final. People must have actually slept very peacefully last night, knowing that RCB has won. This is fandom on a very different level.”
“It’s something I’ve never experienced before. So, I’m really happy that I could be a part of something extraordinary. Like I told you, I’ve touched the trophy once. I know how it feels. I know how happy people are. But this was out of the world.”
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Venkatesh Iyer makes bold claim on RCB’s coaching staff
Venkatesh Iyer, on the other hand, praised the constant support and dedication of the Royal Challengers Bangalore coaching staff, saying that they are the most hard-working coaching group he has worked with in his career so far. He also praised Andy Flower for creating a winning culture at RCB.
“The best, the best. The guys I have played with have been the best support staff in terms of communication and clarity of role. Handling the players. Handling situations. And empowering the players to take decisions,” Iyer was quoted as saying by NDTV.
Notably, Venkatesh played a key role in RCB’s successful title defence. He scored 209 runs in 7 matches for the team this season at an impressive average of 52.25 and strike rate of 186.60.