Aakash Chopra, a former cricket player who is now a broadcaster, discussed Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) prospects of winning the IPL 2025 after the team’s exciting two-run victory over CSK in Saturday’s 52nd match.
The hosts triumphed in a thrilling match against bitter rivals Chennai at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, moving them to the top of the points table. Despite being aware that five teams might end with 18 points in 2025, Chopra recently opened up about the same topic and asserted that there has never been a case where a club with 16 points did not make it to the playoffs.
“Since the 14-match league began, it has never occurred that clubs with 16 points failed to qualify for the playoffs. Five teams can, of course, finish on 18 at this stage, but 16 ought to be sufficient in the end. Instead of focussing on qualification, they are now aiming for the number one and two spots. Aakash Chopra stated via JioHotstar, “I feel like the ‘Q’ is already there, even though it isn’t in front of the name yet.”
You begin to think that everything is coming together: Aakash Chopra
The former Indian batsman asserted that RCB won even though important players like Josh Hazlewood and Phil Salt were not present. He believed that players like Lungi Ngidi, Yash Dayal, and Suyash Sharma stepping up were indications that the stars were aligning for them to win their first IPL championship.
“You believed you would win this game with ease, but you ended up losing to Josh Hazlewood and Phil Salt. But you respond, ‘No problem, sir.’ I have Jacob Bethell if Phil Salt isn’t available. Lungi Ngidi would perform the same, if not better, job in Josh Hazlewood’s place,” Aakash Chopra continued.
In the end, Yash Dayal maintains his composure. In the sixth over, which Suyash delivers, Ngidi takes two wickets, completes a hat-trick, and concedes just eight runs. At this point, you begin to think that, you know, things are going my way,” the Agra native said.
India
