RCB declared IPL 2025 winners by former England Captain

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has backed RCB to come back strongly in IPL 2025 and win the championship next year. Royal Challengers Bengaluru's dream run in the ongoing IPL 2024 came to an end on Wednesday (May 22) with a 4-wicket loss against Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Asked to bat first, the Bengaluru-based outfit posted a competitive total of 172 for 8 in the allotted 20 overs. Although no RCB batter could score a fifty, there were some useful contributions from the likes of Rajat Patidar (34), Virat Kohli (33) and Mahipal Lomror (32). For RR, Avesh Khan and Ravichandran Ashwin impressed with the ball, taking three and two wickets respectively.

Also Read: Andy Flower blames Mohammed Siraj and company for RCB's exit; hints at Siraj's exclusion next year

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With the bat, the Sanju Samson-led side chased down the total in 19 overs. RR were reeling at 86 for 3 and then 112 for 4 at one stage but the likes of Riyan Parag, Shimron Hetmyer, and Rovman Powell came up with fine knocks to take their team home.

The defeat ended a brilliant run for RCB in the tournament. RCB's chances of qualifying for the playoffs looked done and dusted after they lost seven of the first eight games. However, they stormed into the playoffs by winning six games in a row. Not only did they win those games but won them in a dominating fashion to have a good net run-rate as well.

Michael Vaughan's prediction for RCB:

While RCB failed to win the title once again, former England skipper Michael Vaughan believes they will have a good chance next season. Vaughan stated that RCB's head coach Andy Flower and his fellow coaches have managed to 'find a great deal about the group' and backed him to form a winning squad for the next season. He also heaped praise on Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis for leading the team's charge with the bat again.

"Those two were excellent. You expect that, they have been doing it for many years. RCB will be disappointed because they couldn't get through. But Andy Flower and his management team have found out a great deal about this group. So for next year, I will make a statement, the RCB team will be very close," Vaughan was quoted as saying by Times Now.

"I know the way Andy Flower and his team operate and he will have done his research on every single player in that squad. He will know exactly now who he wants to keep. He will have an idea of exactly who they are going to try and get in the auction to build a team to play at their home venue. They are not playing well enough over the course of all the IPLs.

"They have not had the DNA of knowing how to win at home. You have to win your home games, you guarantee pretty much 80 percent of those home games to be won, you win a few away and you always qualify for the last four. That's why Andy Flower will work on this to make sure that he gets the team that knows exactly how to play on those pitches in Bengaluru," he added.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals will now lock horns against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the second qualifier on Friday (May 24) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. The winner of the game will be playing against Kolkata Knight Riders in the final on Sunday.