Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), led by Rajat Patidar, advanced to the IPL 2025 final after defeating Punjab Kings by 8-wickets in Qualifier 1 at Mullanpur, setting up a championship match against either Punjab Kings or Mumbai Indians at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on June 3. Former England captains Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton have sparked discussion about RCB’s batting coach Dinesh Karthik’s potential reaction if the team secures their first-ever IPL title.The franchise’s journey to the final has been notable, particularly with ‘DK’ joining as batting coach before the IPL 2025 season, a move that has yielded positive results for the team.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!During a Sky Sports Podcast, Nasser Hussain joked on Karthik’s potential celebration, stating: “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.”
Michael Atherton added to the conversation by drawing a parallel to a famous football celebration: “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.”Karthik responded to these comments on social media platform X with the message: “This podcast needs some young energy.”The appointment of Karthik as batting coach has shown immediate impact, with players like Jitesh Sharma acknowledging improvements in their game following Karthik’s guidance after the league stage match against Lucknow Super Giants.Karthik has expressed his connection to RCB and his motivations for joining the coaching staff. In a video posted on RCB’s official handle, he shared: “Being part of RCB is a very special feeling. Purely because of the brand of cricket that we play, but also the fans that we have. And most importantly, it’s a journey that’s been filled with lots of highs and lows.”He further elaborated on his decision to join the coaching staff: “But the trophy hadn’t reached the shores of Bangalore yet. If I could be part of that journey, why not? That was a big question in my mind. I know how close we were when I played. So here’s another opportunity for me as a coach.”
