How long can a fan go to pay tribute to the favorite team? There is no such parameter to measure the love of a fan for his beloved team. But what Manoj Nayak has done is truly beyond imagination. To mark the historic final of IPL 2025, when Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) ended their years-long trophy drought, Nayak tattoos all of the trophy-winning players' names on his body—fandom to the next level. 

The die-hard RCB fan shared some of his posts with his new iconic tattoo to show his love for the franchise. In one of his social media posts, Nayak mentioned that Royal Challengers Bengaluru is not only a team, it is an emotion. He mentioned both winning the IPL and the Women's Premier League (WPL) by RCB. 

"RCB isn’t just a team; it’s a belief, a fire that burns in every heart wearing red, bold, and gold. 9 hours of hell, finally WPL/IPL. This is for you, RCB. "Your biggest supporter, Manoj," he wrote in a social media post. 

RCB isn’t just a team, it’s a belief,a fire that burns in every heart wearing red, bold, and gold.
9hours of hell,finally WPL/IPL
This is for you @RCBTweets ❤️

Your Biggest supporter Manoj#Rcbfan pic.twitter.com/uz3qRH9I0t

— Manoj nayak(montu) (@Nmanoj183) September 15, 2025

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Manoj dedicated a separate postfor the legend Virat Kohli, who has been with the team from the inaugural season of the league. The fan showed gratitude to Kohli, recalling the battle for 18 long years for the trophy. 

The superfan of RCB overwhelmed for his iconic tatto

"This is our trophy in 18 years; keep celebrating and don’t stop. We have waited for so long. "Love you RCB, love you Virat Kohli," he wrote. 

The IPL 2025 final was very close between RCB and Punjab Kings (PBKS). RCB won the final by only 6 runs. Shashank Singh emerged as the biggest threat of the RCB bowlers during the second innings. But, it was their night to shine; RCB, under Rajat Patidar's leadership and powered by Virat Kohli, claimed the long-awaited IPL title. 

It was a heart-wrenching result for Punjab Kings (PBKS). It was only their second Indian Premier League (IPL) final, and they were riding high on confidence because of their dominating performances in the group stage of IPL 2025. But it was Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) who won the final by only 6 runs and took the trophy away right in front of Punjab Kings. After the grand finale, when RCB was under all the spotlights and glittering in joy, the PBKS dressing room was behind a curtain of grief. During a recent conversation, PBKS star Shashank Singh described the dressing room atmosphere after the summit clash. He said that their players were crying; he saw tears in the owner's eyes. 

"There were players in the dressing room. They were crying. Our owners were feeling bad. They were very disappointed. I saw their tears. It's different from the media, the fans, and the camera. It's a personal loss. You can't just say, "We lost." It takes a lot of time. I still remember, we had a match in the state league the next day. I thought it would get better. But I couldn't get over the final loss," he said. 

Shashank emerged as the last hope for the Shreyas Iyer-led team on the night of June 3, 2025. He remained unbeaten, scoring 61 off 30 with 3 boundaries and 6 over boundaries. He even hit 22 runs off the last four balls against Josh Hazlewood. But that solo effort with the bat proved not enough to outshine RCB. 

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"...that loss, everyone was hurt. I saw their tears. It took some time, but I think we still believe, and we know now that next year we'll turn around the tables. We'll make sure that those moments are ours," he added. 

Shashank Singh said how PBKS coach and captain used to back their boys

The batter revealed how their head coach, Ricky Ponting, and captain, Shreyas Iyer, backed all of the players. They tried to pull out their best by not putting extra pressure but by showing trust in the players. 

"When we went to the IPL, my practice matches were not that special. But the way Ricky Sir and Shreyas Iyer backed me, they told me, "You're our match winner; we're not going to judge you with two IPL matches." It's just that you go and play with your freedom," Shashank informed. 

For long years, Virat Kohli had a huge dream of winning the Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). It came close in 2016 when Kohli’s superb run with the bat had nearly taken him to the title against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final. The dream, however, was fulfilled under Rajata Patiar’s leadership in the 2025 season.

But a video has gone viral on various social media where Virat Kohli and the former opening batter of the side, Chris Gayle, were seen on the roads during the victory parade, where they lifted the IPL trophy, along with celebrating the moment with thousands of fans around them.

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Virat was excellent in this campaign for IPL 2025 as he finished as the third leading run-getter of the tournament. The right-handed batter smashed 657 runs in 15 innings at an average of 54.75 and a strike rate of 144.71, scoring eight half-centuries in the competition at the best score of unbeaten 73 runs.

Watch: Virat Kohli’s fan copies IPL trophy for RCB in victory parade as video goes viral

Along with Kohli, their opening batter, Phil Salt, was equally successful with 403 runs in 13 innings. The England wicket-keeper batter had an average of 33.58 and a strike rate of 175.98 with the help of four half-centuries at the best score of 65, while their captain drilled 312 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of 143.77 with two fifties.

pic.twitter.com/gcT1bjSUTw

— Out Of Context Cricket (@GemsOfCricket) September 16, 2025

In the bowling department, Josh Hazlewood was the leading wicket-taker with 22 scalps in 12 innings at an average of 17.54 and an economy rate of 8.77, thanks to the best figure of 4/33. Krunal Pandya was the peak of the spinners with 17 wickets in 15 innings at an economy rate of more than eight. Bhuvneshwar Kumar picked 17 wickets in 14 innings.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru finished the IPL 2025 campaign in the second position with the help of nine wins in 14 encounters at a net run rate of 0.301. They beat the Punjab Kings twice in the qualifier and the final to lift their maiden title.

In the 25th episode of ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ Season 17, cricket made its way into the quiz show spotlight. Contestant Mansi Sharma found herself facing a cricket-related question while seated on the hot seat. During the round, host Amitabh Bachchan presented her with a query that tested her awareness of recent cricketing events. 

The question asked, “Which cricketer announced his retirement from the IPL in August 2025?” This came as part of the ‘Super Sandook’ game, where contestants are challenged with thought-provoking questions. The moment added an exciting twist to the episode, merging the worlds of cricket and entertainment. 

As always, Bachchan’s delivery kept the atmosphere tense yet engaging, ensuring that both the contestant and the audience felt the weight of the question. The inclusion of such current affairs-based sports questions highlighted how cricket remains deeply connected to Indian culture, extending its influence beyond stadiums and into popular television.

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Contestant Unable to Answer Cricket Question Linked to Ashwin:

The options presented to Mansi were Virat Kohli, R. Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and KL Rahul. Unsure of the correct response, the Microsoft robotics engineer chose not to risk an incorrect answer. Instead, she decided to skip the question, a cautious move that ensured she remained in the game without jeopardizing her position on Kaun Banega Crorepati.

The right answer turned out to be R Ashwin, who officially announced his retirement from the Indian Premier League in August this year. The experienced spinner decided to bid farewell to the tournament after a long and successful career.

Ravichandran Ashwin, who featured for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 2025 IPL season, had earlier stepped away from international cricket in December 2024, announcing his retirement before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy ended in Australia.

His decision to bid farewell to the IPL surprised many, especially since reports suggested he might rejoin Rajasthan Royals for the 2026 season. The veteran spinner’s exit marked the end of a remarkable career in both international and franchise cricket, leaving fans reflecting on his lasting contributions.

Ashwin revealed his IPL retirement on X (formerly Twitter), stating it was not the end but the start of a new journey. He mentioned plans to participate in various global leagues, keeping his cricketing career alive internationally.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) youngster Swastik Chikara recently opened up about facing online trolling during the 2025 IPL season. Despite not getting a chance to feature in any match, he remained a part of the squad’s historic campaign.

Rajat Patidar’s team finally ended their long wait for silverware, securing their maiden IPL title after 18 years. The triumph was a memorable moment for the franchise, its players, and loyal supporters who had been waiting eagerly for such glory.

Although Chikara spent the season on the bench, he acknowledged both the criticism and support he received from fans. He emphasized that being part of a championship-winning side was a valuable learning experience, motivating him to stay focused and prepared for future opportunities.

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Swastik Chikara on Facing Online Trolling During IPL:

The 20-year-old cricketer drew attention during IPL 2025 for frequently being spotted near Virat Kohli, which led to trolling and jokes about him serving only as a “water boy.” Despite not making his debut, his presence around senior players was widely noticed by fans online.

Speaking about the criticism, Chikara addressed the matter during a podcast with CricXtasy, released on Sunday, September 7. He shared his perspective on trolling, explaining how he dealt with the comments while focusing on learning and growing as a young player.

Chikara said, “ Now tell me one thing. I wasn’t even playing, right? My job was to take care of the players, give them water, look after them, carry towels, or do anything else needed for the team. I just wanted to give my best, what’s the problem in that?”

He further said, “ That was my job, and giving water is a good thing. What’s wrong with that? At home, do you not give water to anyone, or wherever you are? In cricket, everyone gives water, who doesn’t?”

He added, “ For me, it felt great. I was giving water to the best players, the world’s number one player (Virat Kohli), with my own hands. He drank water from my hands. What could be better than that? I really enjoyed it, and he drank it.”

Virat Kohli shone as RCB’s leading batter, scoring 657 runs in 15 innings, showcasing his consistency and dominance throughout the season. His remarkable consistency included eight half-centuries, making him the side’s most reliable run-scorer throughout their historic title-winning campaign in the 2025 IPL season.

Swastik Chikara showers admiration on RCB captain:

Swastik Chikara praised captain Rajat Patidar, acknowledging his impactful leadership that guided RCB to their much-awaited IPL championship in his debut season as skipper, making the triumph even more remarkable. He highlighted the confidence and composure Patidar brought to the side.

Chikara pointed out that Patidar captained the team in 13 matches during the campaign, out of which RCB secured 10 victories while suffering only three defeats. He emphasized that Patidar’s leadership played a crucial role in shaping the squad’s winning mentality and overall success.

Chikara said, “ He showed really excellent captaincy. I mean, handling such a big team, and it was his first time captaining in the IPL, and he didn’t take any pressure at all. He managed everything very well, every decision happening in the match. It’s a huge thing, bro, and captaining RCB comes with its own pressure. The fan base is so strong that if you make even one mistake, anything can happen in two minutes.”

The former right-arm pacer of the Punjab Kings, Sandeep Sharma, who features in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the Rajasthan Royals, has opened up on the importance of understanding the basic difference between the international and Indian Premier League (IPL) leadership, as the debate has been regarding the captaincy of Shreyas Iyer.

Despite his incredible performance as the captain of the Kings to end as the runners-up of the IPL 2025, Iyer wasn’t considered for the Asia Cup 2025 squad, while many reckoned that he should have gotten the leadership responsibilities. That’s where Sandeep has begged to differ.

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“See, this debate that he, as a captain, took his teams to the finals, Surya is not doing the captaincy of any franchise. So, that is not the criterion to be the captain of the Indian side. And for the last three years, Rohit was not doing the captaincy of any franchise. But still, he was the captain of the T20 Indian team and one-day side as the leader.” Sharma expressed during an interview with CricTracker.  

Sandeep Sharma reveals if Shreyas Iyer should become India’s captain

Iyer was in tremendous touch for Punjab in IPL 2025 for his 604 runs in 17 innings at an average of 50.33 and a strike rate of nearly 175 with six fifties. Sandeep revealed how, for international captains, the most important aspect is to handle the 15 players in a better way.

“So, that’s not the criteria that you have to be the leader in the IPL. IPL is totally different. It’s a domestic league. It’s the domestic league of the BCCI, right? And when you are picking an international team, you are picking 15 people. So you are picking a captain who will manage those 15 people better there.” The Patiala-born addressed.

“Here in the IPL, you have a lot of domestic players, a lot of young players. Some of them come from overseas. And in international cricket, you are picking someone who will manage your 15 better. So for that debate, I feel senseless about what he’s doing in the IPL. These teams are two different sides. I feel people need to learn and understand more about this thing.” Sandeep Sharma concluded.

The runners-up from the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Punjab Kings (PBKS), who lost the final under Shreyas Iyer’s leadership against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), have extended their helping hand to donate a huge amount to the relief fund for the flood-hit Punjab. In decades, it’s the worst flood for the state.

The Punjab Kings have donated INR 33.8 lakh in relief funds. As per the present data received by the government of the state, the calamity has claimed 37 lives and affected over 3.5 lakh people. As of now, 23 districts have been declared flood-affected.

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In a tragic situation, Punjab has come forward to help the state by partnering with the Hemkunt Foundation and Round Table India for their ‘Together for Punjab’ campaign. On their X account (formerly known as Twitter), the 2014 runners-up of the IPL have announced their support for the flood-affected Punjab. It will be a great support for the people living in the state.

Punjab Kings extends helping hand to donate INR 33.8 lakh for flood-hit Punjab

Apart from the donation, the franchise has also launched a fundraising campaign to raise INR 2 crore. This money will be collected and donated to the Global Sikh Charity, which will use the aid to further assist the effort of rebuilding the state. More than a thousand villages have been affected, and nearly 61000 hectares of farmland have been submerged, displacing 1.46 million residents.

Together for Punjab! ♥️#PunjabKings pic.twitter.com/yb0ZwtC9DF

— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) September 4, 2025

The floods, driven by the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi Rivers, were triggered by the immense rainfall in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. The rescue operations are already going on, with 11000 people evacuated to safe areas, with the assistance of the Army, NDRF, BSF, and local authorities.

Punjab Kings ended the group-stage encounters at the top of the points table, having earned nine victories in 14 games at a net run rate of +0.372. They faced only four defeats at a net run rate of +0.372. Under Iyer, their batting looked solid, while the head coach, Ricky Ponting, and his management were excellent in understanding the strength of the side and working around that playing eleven.

The captain of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Rajat Patidar, who helped the franchise to win their maiden trophy of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2025, has shared a heartfelt message for the fans to break the silence on the stampede case of Bengaluru during the victory parade. The movement left 11 people dead and 75 injured, casting a dark shadow on the joyous moment.

Patidar, who replaced Faf du Plessis to become the new captain of the franchise during the previous edition, reckoned that they, in the RCB side of the IPL, would always want to stand by the people of the city. He aimed to hold hands with each other and find their strength again.

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“Every time I walk out for RCB, it’s with passion, and that passion comes from you. From your love, your belief, and your unwavering support. You’ve always stood by us. And from the bottom of my heart, I want you to know that we stand with you, too. You’ve all been in my thoughts and prayers. With all of us holding on to each other, we’ll find our strength again.” Patidar expressed during an interaction with the franchise.

Rajat Patidar expects to ‘hold on to each other’ post Bengaluru stampede case

The 32-year-old has overall clubbed 1111 runs in the 38 IPL innings for the RCB side at an average of 30.86 and a strike rate of 154.30 with the help of nine half-centuries and one century at the best score of unbeaten 112 runs. Last year, the right-handed batter drilled 312 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of 143.77 with two fifties.

“Every time I walk out for RCB, it’s with passion, and that passion comes from you. From your love, your belief, and your unwavering support. You’ve always stood by us. And from the bottom of my heart, I want you to know that we stand with you too. You’ve all been in my thoughts… pic.twitter.com/QaguHz2mw1

— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) September 3, 2025

Along with Patidar, the former leader of India and the franchise, Virat Kohli, also shed light on the incident. He reflected on how the celebratory and winning celebration turned into sorrowful faces, as the franchise shared its thoughts on X (formerly known as Twitter).

“I’ve been thinking of and praying for the families of those we lost and for our fans who were injured. Your loss is part of our story now. Together, we will move forward with care, respect, and responsibility.” RCB quoted Kohli as saying.

The former Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain and the stalwart, Virat Kohli, has looked back at the Bengaluru stampede case for the very first time since the tragedy, which took place on June 04 in the streets of Bengaluru. 11 people, present in the victory parade, lost their lives, and several were injured as chaos broke out outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Suddenly, the happy faces turned into sorrow. What was meant to be a celebration for the fans and the team after the end of the 18-year drought of lifting the Indian Premier League (IPL) title quickly turned into tragic. Talking to the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter, RCB shared Virat’s thoughts on the tragedy.

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“Nothing in life really prepares you for a heartbreak like June 4th. What should’ve been the happiest moment in our franchise’s history… turned into something tragic. I’ve been thinking of and praying for the families of those we lost and for our fans who were injured. Your loss is part of our story now. Together, we will move forward with care, respect, and responsibility.” RCB quoted Kohli as saying.

Virat Kohli breaks silence on Bengaluru stampede case during IPL 2025 victory parade

Kohli contributed immensely to RCB winning their maiden title of the IPL. The right-handed batter smashed 657 runs in 15 innings at an average of 54.75 and a strike rate of 144.71 with the help of eight half-centuries at the best score of unbeaten 73 runs. That was the third successive season of the league when the Delhi-born crossed the 600-run mark.

“Nothing in life really prepares you for a heartbreak like June 4th. What should’ve been the happiest moment in our franchise’s history… turned into something tragic. I’ve been thinking of and praying for the families of those we lost… and for our fans who were injured. Your… pic.twitter.com/nsJrKDdKWB

— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) September 3, 2025

RCB could be left homeless due to the tragedy during the next season of the league. In several reports, it was stated that M. Chinnaswamy was unfit to hold the large public events. The report claimed that the design and structure of the stadium are inherently unsafe and unsuitable for mass gatherings.

On the other hand, Kohli completed his fitness assessment before the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia down under. He underwent the test in London, which is a rare move from the BCCI to allow such a stance.

After his special performance for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) during the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Jitesh Sharma got selected into the national side for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, which starts on September 09 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Blue Brigade will play their opening game against the UAE on the following day in Dubai.

The 31-year-old has smacked 100 T20I runs in seven innings at an average of just over 14 and a strike rate of 147.05 with the best score of 35. During the IPL 2025, the wicket-keeper batter drilled 261 runs in 11 innings at an average of 37.28 and a strike rate of 176.35, thanks to the best score of an unbeaten 85 runs.

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“I come from a small town, where you give lots of respect to your seniors. You don't intrude on their personal space - For me, just talking to him is a big deal. I know Virat bhai’s stature, so I would try not to intrude on his personal space or bother him unnecessarily.” Jitesh revealed during a recent interaction on TOI.

Jitesh Sharma shares bond and respect with Virat Kohli ahead of Asia Cup 2025

Jitesh, during his young and old days, didn’t have a coach and took on watching the YouTube videos of the former Australian batter, Adam Gilcirst, and India’s Sourav Ganguly for early advice as he made his national debut at the Asian Games at the age of 29.

“I used to talk to him about cricket only. Out of respect, I maintained my distance. I only wanted to have a meaningful conversation with him.” Jitesh expressed that he credited his childhood friends, his former Vidarbha captain, Faiz Fazal, his mentor Dinesh Karthik, and Ruchir Mishtra, the former TOI journalist, who passed away due to Covid-19.

The Maharashtra-born, who has collected 2886 runs in 127 innings of the T20s at an average of 27.22 and a strike rate of 152.29 with 11 half-centuries and one century at the best score of 106 runs, will be a valuable member for the Blue Brigade in the lower order.