In a lighthearted remark, former England skipper Nasser Hussain has playfully cautioned that Dinesh Karthik, who serves as the batting coach and mentor for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), could become quite insufferable should his team emerge victorious in the IPL 2025. This humorous warning comes as RCB has already secured their spot in the final of the tournament.
Dinesh Karthik will be unbearable if RCB win IPL 2025 title: Nasser Hussain
After announcing his retirement from all forms of cricket in 2024, Dinesh Karthik quickly transitioned into a mentorship role with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) a month later.
With RCB now on the cusp of securing their inaugural IPL title, Nasser Hussain lightheartedly remarked that a victory in Karthik's debut season as coach and mentor would undoubtedly make him a force to be reckoned with.
“RCB have got through to the finals. If they win that, DK is going to be unbearable. One season as coach/mentor and he's won it,” Nasser Hussain said on the Sky Sports Podcast.
Meanwhile, adding to Hussain's remark in the same podcast, another former England cricketer Michael Atherton said:
“He's unbearable at the best of times; he's going to be doubly unbearable. He'll be like John Terry at the front of the RCB trophy presentation, holding it there with Virat Kohli.”
Rajat Patidar-led RCB have made a spectacular run to the IPL 2025 final, securing their spot with an impressive eight-wicket win over Punjab Kings in the Qualifier 1 on May 29 in Mullanpur. This marks RCB's fourth appearance in the IPL final, having previously competed for the title in 2009, 2011, and 2016.
Meanwhile, the Mumbai Indians (MI) also secured their place in the playoffs, defeating Gujarat Titans by 20 runs in the Eliminator on May 30. MI will now face the Punjab Kings in Qualifier 2 on June 1. The winner of that match will then advance to the summit clash on June 3 in Ahmedabad, where they will once again meet RCB. This season has been particularly strong for RCB, as they reached Qualifier 1 for the first time since 2016 and have consistently made the IPL playoffs in five of the last six seasons.
While RCB has reached the finals on three occasions, they have never done so with such relentless and merciless intensity. Their bowling attack was both aggressive and incisive, consistently threatening the opposition. Furthermore, their fielding was characterized by vibrant energy, with players unhesitatingly putting their bodies on the line to prevent boundaries and save runs.
Despite having reached the final thrice, RCB are yet to lift the title. Now, after a nine-year gap, they have once again earned their place in the final, appearing more resolute than ever to break their long-standing title drought.