3 times a CSK player took a cheeky dig at RCB ft. Ruturaj Gaikwad
Apart from the El Clasico of the Indian Premier League (IPL), the rivalry between the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) has attracted significant attention from cricket fans over the years.
The diehard fans of former captains Virat Kohli (RCB) and MS Dhoni (CSK) often trade barbs at each other on social media. It is also due to the duo being former captains of the Indian team and achieving much success during their tenure. Although, Dhoni has five IPL trophies, Kohli has none under his belt. But, the 36-year-old is the finest batter in the IPL history with over 8,000 runs.
Between these fan wars, players also get caught up with emotions and often goes out of their way to defend their respective team. Today, let's take a look at three occasions where CSK players have taken a dig at RCB.
#1 Tushar Deshpande
The final league game of the IPL 2024 saw CSK clashing against RCB in a must-win tie for both sides to qualify for the playoffs. The Bengaluru-based side batted first and posted a staggering total of 218. In order to seal the playoff spot, RCB needed to win the game by 18 runs or more to surpass CSK's NRR, who also had seven wins in 13 fixtures.
The thrilling game saw Yash Dayal holding his nerves to seal a 27-run victory for RCB, as they qualified for the knockouts. The win saw the players going into celebration mode and expressing their emotions on the ground. Moreover, the players sitting in the dugout also ran into the ground to join the XI.
In the aftermath of the celebration, several CSK supporters shared their story of being heckled and abused while they were leaving the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. The reactions triggered fans online, who posted derogatory remarks on RCB.
CSK pacer Tushar Deshpande took an indirect jab at RCB and their fans on his Instagram story, saying:
"CSK fans are built different."
However, Deshpande deleted the story later after it sparked a flurry of reactions online.
Unfortunately, RCB lost to the Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator and failed to reach the final. As a result, a CSK fan account posted a picture of 'Bengaluru Cant' station, signaling the franchise's another failure to claim the silverware.
#2 Ruturaj Gaikwad
Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad reignited rivalry with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a funny dig during the off-season.
Recently, he attended a fan-engagement event, and as he was about to address the audience, his mic got turned off. The microphone malfunction resulted in the anchor saying, 'How can you turn off Ruturaj's mic?'.
In response, Gaikwad said:
"Might be someone from RCB."
Check out the conversation below:
Ruturaj Gaikwad's playful dig garnered mixed reactions online, with CSK fans praising their leader. The 27-year-old is currently leading the Maharashtra side in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
#3 Matheesha Pathirana's reaction to Ambati Rayudu's post
After the aforementioned celebration of RCB and their loss in the Eliminator, former Chennai Super Kings batter Ambati Rayudu slammed the franchise. He suggested them to focus on creating a better team and not on certain individuals.
Rayudu posted an old video on Instagram, where he and his CSK teammates can be seen returning from the field to the hotel after fifth title victory in 2023. The right-hander trolled RCB and gave them a 'gentle reminder' on CSK being highly successful team.
Matheesha Pathirana, who was retained by the franchise ahead of the IPL 2025, shared a laughing emoji with a yellow heart. Meanwhile, pacer Deepak Chahar dropped a 'salute' symbol.