RCB Coach Malolan Stays Focused After WPL 2026 Defeat: 'We're Not Here Just to Qualify'

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's impressive five-match winning run in WPL 2026 came to a halt with a comprehensive seven-wicket defeat to Delhi Capitals in Vadodara. However, acting head coach Malolan Rangarajan made it abundantly clear that the loss wouldn't derail the team's larger aspirations in the tournament.

"Qualification is important, but we are not here just to qualify. We want to seal the top spot. So brushing this result under the carpet isn't easier just because we've qualified."

A Philosophical Approach to Defeat

The RCB stand-in coach demonstrated remarkable composure in his post-match assessment, framing the defeat as an inevitable part of tournament cricket rather than a crisis to manage.

"They're all professionals. We need to understand what the conditions are. We need to find solutions. So if we needed to win the next two games to finish atop the points table, I would, as coach, react the same way as I'd react now."

He added a pragmatic perspective on the timing of the loss:

"When you have a game like this, you'd rather have it sooner than later so the girls can go and reflect, and as a group, we can come back with better answers."

Batting Struggles and Honest Assessment

RCB's batting lineup managed only 109 runs, leaving their bowlers with an insufficient target to defend. Malolan was candid in acknowledging that Delhi Capitals comprehensively outperformed his side.

"You have to give credit where it's due. DC did outplay us in all three departments today, be it batting, bowling and fielding."

PowerPlay Challenges in Vadodara

The conditions in Vadodara proved challenging, particularly during the early overs. Malolan noted that openers Grace Harris and Smriti Mandhana adapted well initially.

"It wasn't necessarily the easiest pitch to bat on, especially in the PowerPlay. I thought Grace and Smriti started very well, applied themselves. We were chatting through the innings and as we realized there's no dew coming in. We were kind of targeting getting about 140, it would have been plenty. And even with 110 there, we only have ourselves to blame today."

The coach also hinted at fielding lapses that prevented the bowling attack from building sustained pressure on the opposition.

Backing the Aggressive Intent

Despite the low total, Malolan stood firmly behind his batters' attacking approach, even on pitches that have demanded patience and application before acceleration.

"The way we want to play, it sometimes might look like those were attacking shots, but you see the options they took. I like to minimize the hindsight chat as much as possible and prepare really well. As long as the options that our batters took were within the game, their game plan and their strengths, I'm okay with it."

The coach emphasized the team's growth mindset:

"As a coaching group and as a team, we will always look to evolve ourselves and get better, and most importantly, learn. We need to find solutions when it gets challenging."

Strategic Clarity: The Radha Yadav-Richa Ghosh Dynamic

Questions have swirled around RCB's batting-order decisions, particularly regarding allrounder Radha Yadav's role. After a match-winning fifty earlier in the tournament while batting at No. 5, the Vadodara local has been pushed down to accommodate designated finisher Richa Ghosh.

Malolan provided clear reasoning for the tactical shift:

"We also have to make sure our resource allocation has to be at its best as much as possible. Radha has a very clear role. While we are happy for her to bat at five, there's also a cutoff time for it - when it actually becomes prime time for someone like Richa to go in."

Backing Richa Ghosh's High-Risk, High-Reward Approach

The coach made no apologies for the trade-off involved in promoting Richa Ghosh.

"The tactical side of it was that it felt as though if Richa could get going and get about 20-30 quick runs at that time, because Richa plays just the way she plays, I'd take that any day. There are going to be innings when Richa plays where she gets out early, we'll take that. But we know when she gets going, she'll turn the whole momentum of the game."

He emphasized the clarity within the squad:

"Everybody is very clear of what they're expected to do when they go in."

Recognizing Unsung Contributions

Malolan took time to highlight Radha Yadav's impact contributions that often go unnoticed in conventional scorecards.

"Radha showed the other side of a game in the previous game... Even though she didn't score a 50, on that pitch, scoring 17 off 8 balls was brilliant. She batted at 200 strike rate. Those things go unnoticed. Sometimes only 50s and fifers are recognized, but it's very important to recognize what Radha did for us last game."

Looking Ahead: RCB's Path to the Top

Despite the setback in Vadodara, RCB remain well-positioned in WPL 2026. With qualification already secured, the focus shifts to securing the top spot on the points table and building momentum heading into the knockout stages.

Malolan's measured response to defeat suggests a coaching philosophy built on process over panic. The team's ability to reflect, adapt, and return stronger will be tested in their remaining league matches.

"We've done it brilliantly over the previous games - every time we've encountered some challenge, somebody's put their hand up. Today was one of those days where it didn't go our way. So we'll take it on our chin, rest, and the good thing is we get a chance to play again."

For Royal Challengers Bengaluru, this loss may prove to be the reset button they needed before the business end of WPL 2026.