As the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) prepare for their fourth appearance in an IPL final, former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin expressed his concerns about facing one formidable opponent—the Mumbai Indians (MI). In a recent discussion on his YouTube channel, Ashwin suggested that RCB will be hoping MI does not advance to the final in Ahmedabad. RCB secured their spot in the final by defeating Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1, while MI is set to compete against the Gujarat Titans in the Eliminator match. The winner of that match will then face Punjab Kings in Qualifier 2 on June 1.
Ashwin, who has played for Chennai Super Kings, emphasized that MI poses the most significant threat to RCB’s aspirations of winning their first IPL title. He noted, “If RCB has to win the IPL, then Gujarat Titans should win against Mumbai Indians. MI are one team that you cannot allow to enter the final; you have to stop them at any cost.” He believes that RCB would prefer to face Gujarat Titans instead, as they pose less of a challenge than MI, who are veterans with a strong track record in the league.
In his analysis, Ashwin also highlighted Virat Kohli’s outstanding performance over the past year, indicating a sense of optimism for RCB. Kohli, who has yet to secure an IPL title, has achieved significant success in international cricket, recently winning both the T20 World Cup in 2024 and the ICC Champions Trophy earlier this year. Ashwin remarked, “This is RCB’s year,” referencing Kohli’s contributions to the team’s fortunes despite not being captain.
RCB’s path to the final was secured through a dominant win in Qualifier 1, where they bowled out Punjab Kings for a mere 101 runs, with Phil Salt scoring an unbeaten half-century to chase down the target in just 10 overs. Although Kohli had an off day with only 12 runs, his overall season performance has been impressive, accumulating 614 runs across 14 matches with an average of 55.82 and a strike rate of 146.54. As the final approaches, RCB fans are eager to see Kohli deliver a pivotal performance once again.
Ultimately, RCB is now waiting to discover who their opponent will be in the final—whether it will be MI, GT, or PBKS. As Ashwin aptly put it, if it’s MI, RCB must “stop them at any cost.” The anticipation builds as the IPL final draws near, with hopes high for RCB to achieve their long-awaited title.