Ambati Rayudu: Former India and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter Ambati Rayudu has expressed his thoughts on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) winning the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) title. The tournament, which wrapped up in early June, saw RCB lift their maiden championship under the captaincy of Rajat Patidar.
On Monday, August 18, during a YouTube podcast with Shubhankar Mishra, Rayudu was asked about his feelings on RCB’s triumph in the 2025 season. Rayudu said:
“It felt really good. Now RCB knows how difficult it is to win the IPL. And how much harder it is to win it five times. Now they will realize. See, if winning once is so tough, then imagine how tough it is to win five times. So it is good that they understood what it takes to win. It’s good, right? Now they will also calm down. RCB will calm down. They have entered the winners’ club, so they will calm down.”
Virat Kohli emerged as RCB’s top run-scorer this season, amassing 657 runs in 15 innings at an average of 54.75 and a strike rate of 144.71, including eight fifties. With the ball, Josh Hazlewood impressed, taking 22 wickets in 12 matches, with best figures of 4/33.
“They consistently played the same team” – Ambati Rayudu reflects on RCB’s IPL 2025 winning campaign
In the same conversation, Ambati Rayudu also highlighted that RCB largely stuck with the same playing XI throughout the 2025 season, a strategy that paid off. He said:
“This year, RCB figured it out (not making too many changes). They consistently played the same team according to their plans and players. Look at how finishers like Jitesh came through, and Tim David also played well. That was a combination. RCB finally understood after so many years, and that’s very good, because every year each team keeps getting better, so the competition is improving.”
In the 2025 edition, RCB also set a record by becoming the first team to win all their away games in a single season.