WPL 2026: 'We’re Not Here Just to Qualify' - RCB coach reflects on first loss vs DCW

Royal Challengers Bengaluru standby coach Malolan Rangarajan has shared his views after the team’s first defeat in WPL 2026. RCB’s five-match winning run came to an end against Delhi Capitals on January 24. Despite the loss, Rangarajan felt the setback arrived at the right time. He believes early lessons are important in a long tournament.

Rangarajan underlined that RCB’s ambitions go beyond simple qualification. He made it clear that the franchise is targeting the top position on the points table. According to him, qualifying for the playoffs does not reduce the importance of addressing mistakes. The team wants to keep improving.

He also pointed out that the players and support staff will not ignore the defeat. The focus will be on understanding conditions and finding solutions. Rangarajan added that his approach would remain the same even if qualification was still at stake. For him, standards do not change based on results.

“Qualification Is Important, But We’re Not Here Just to Qualify”

“Qualification is important, but we're not here just to qualify. We want to seal the top spot,” Rangarajan said, as quoted by Cricbuzz. He stressed that qualifying does not make it easier to move on from a loss. “So, brushing this result under the carpet isn't easier just because we've qualified,” he added.

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He continued by explaining the mindset of the group. “They're all professionals. We need to understand what the conditions are. We need to find solutions,” Rangarajan said. He also noted that his reaction would be the same even if the next matches were must-win. “So, if we needed to win the next two games, I would, as coach, react the same way as I'd react now.”

Rangarajan also praised the team’s overall performance so far. “But it's also important to acknowledge how well we've played over the last six games,” he said. He felt a loss like this helps the group reflect and improve. RCB remain top of the table with 10 points and a net run rate of +1.236, with matches against Mumbai Indians and UP Warriorz still to come.