Former England captain and commentator Nasser Hussain has jokingly mocked Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) mentor Dinesh Karthik after RCB's resurgence in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season.
Karthik was appointed as the new batting coach for the Bengaluru-based franchise ahead of the 18th edition of the IPL. It's fair to say that Karthik's inclusion has proven to be fruitful, as RCB are just one win away from lifting their first-ever IPL trophy.
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RCB finished the group stage strongly as they secured a top-two spot in their final league match of the season with a win against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). They acquired the same points as Punjab Kings (PBKS) - 19 - but were placed second due to a marginally lower net run-rate.
They faced Punjab in Qualifier 1 at Mullanpur and once again showcased a brilliant display both with the bat and ball, as they have done throughout the season, as they secured an 8-wicket victory to seal their place in the finals of the cash-rich league.
Check: Who will qualify for IPL final if PBKS vs MI is washed out?
What did Nasser Hussain say?
The former English batter jokingly mocked DK, as he claimed that the former Indian wicket-keeper will become unbearable if RCB finally manages to win the coveted trophy this time around.
Speaking to Mike Atherton on the SkySports Cricket Podcast, Hussain said, "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."
Hussain's compatriot, Atherton, joined in the conversation and mentioned that Karthik will become doubly unbearable in the event of RCB winning the trophy, and he will flaunt it around for a while, drawing comparisons to Chelsea legend John Terry when he won the UEFA Champions League in 2012.
READ MORE: How has RCB performed in IPL finals?
"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 the banter in his own style, hinting at a possible reunion with the two English greats. Check out the tweet below.
🤔🤔🤔
— DK (@DineshKarthik) May 31, 2025
This podcast needs some young energy #comingsoon https://t.co/ik4n30tJMM
Karthik had earlier mentioned that being part of the franchise is a special feeling, mainly owing to their brand of cricket and the fans.
"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 mentioned that he would be more than happy to be a part of the franchise if they finally manage to win the trophy this season, as he knows how close RCB came to lifting the trophy when he last played as a player for them.
"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."
What next for RCB?
Karthik and co. will have their eyes on the Qualifier 2 match between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Mumbai Indians (MI), which will decide their opponent for the finals of the 18th edition of the IPL.