Former India captain and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) icon MS Dhoni congratulated Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on winning their maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title, ending an 18-year wait.
RCB clinched their first-ever IPL trophy in 2025 under the captaincy of Rajat Patidar, defeating Punjab Kings by six runs in a thrilling final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on June 3. Following the historic triumph, Dhoni shared his thoughts on RCB’s long-awaited success during an event organised by Indigo, a video of which has gone viral on social media.
Speaking as a competitor, the five-time IPL-winning captain admitted that it is difficult for him to imagine any franchise other than CSK lifting the trophy.
“If I am part of CSK, I can’t imagine any other team winning the IPL. But it was long-awaited, and RCB played very well. So, congratulations to them,” Dhoni said.
The 44-year-old wicketkeeper-batter also heaped praise on the RCB fanbase, acknowledging their unwavering support over the years despite repeated heartbreaks.
“RCB fans have been brilliant. Every time there’s a game, they come and support their team, even when the chips are down. They have always stood by the team,” he added.
Dhoni further explained the mindset of a competitor, stating that while every team enters the tournament with the desire to win, it does not always go according to plan.
“When you participate in a competition, you want your team to win. It doesn’t always work in your favour. What is important is understanding what went wrong and what we can learn from the other teams. That is crucial in a tournament like this,” he said.
The comments quickly gained traction online, with fans praising Dhoni for his candid and balanced assessment. RCB’s official social media handle also shared clips of the former India skipper’s remarks.
Meanwhile, CSK endured a difficult IPL 2025 campaign, finishing at the bottom of the points table. Dhoni took over the captaincy midway through the season following Ruturaj Gaikwad’s injury, and has already indicated that the franchise is focused on identifying areas for improvement ahead of the next season.
During their title-winning run, RCB defeated CSK twice in the same season, marking the fourth such instance since the inception of the IPL.
