Vadodara: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) head coach Malolan Rangarajan said managing the balance between preparation and time off will be crucial ahead of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) final, after his side secured direct qualification with a dominant league-stage campaign, which ended with an eight-wicket victory against UP Warriorz.
With nearly a week to go before the title clash, Rangarajan stressed the importance of allowing players mental space before switching focus back to the final.
“We have about six days before the final, and it’s important to strike the right balance between training and time off. I’d rather the players take their minds off the final for a few days and return fresh and hungry,” he said in a video shared by WPL on X.
Reflecting on RCB’s consistency, the head coach said that finishing at the top with a big points difference with other teams shows how well they have performed throughout the season.
“Winning the purple cap is great, but the bigger purpose is qualifying for the final. It’s never easy in this league, and the gap we’ve created speaks volumes about how the team has worked together,” Rangarajan noted.
Rangarajan was full of praise for skipper Smriti Mandhana, highlighting her tactical awareness and leadership both on and off the field. He revealed that Mandhana had been closely analysing Grace Harris during practice sessions, which later paid dividends in the match as Harris took two important wickets.
“Smriti was already picking up cues in training. It was great to see her read the game so well and execute it in the match,” he said.
The coach also lauded the captain’s all-around leadership, pointing out her composure during the chase against the Warriors, where she remained unbeaten at 54. “She led superbly on the field and then ensured she was there at the crucial moment with the bat when we turned the game in our favour,” Rangarajan added.
Despite splendid performance, the head coach still feels there is room for improvement in the bowling.
“As a bowling group, we did several things right and a few things we can still get better at. Overall, it was a solid performance, and I’m very happy for the girls,” he said, as RCB now turn their attention to another WPL title.
(IANS)
