Former India captain MS Dhoni has acknowledged the contrasting fortunes of Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super Kings in recent Indian Premier League seasons. The CSK legend spoke at a healthcare event in Bengaluru on October 24, 2026, reflecting on how the two franchises have moved in opposite directions over the past two years. Dhoni, who did not play any IPL 2026 matches due to fitness issues, offered candid observations about performance, consistency and the nature of competitive sport.
While RCB have won consecutive IPL titles in 2025 and 2026 under the captaincy of Rajat Patidar, establishing themselves as the dominant force in the league, CSK finished eighth in 2026, marking a sharp decline for the five-time champions. The head-to-head record between the two sides reflects this shift, with RCB winning four of their past five encounters against CSK.
How good you are on paper hardly matters?
Dhoni emphasised that performance on a given day matters more than theoretical strength when discussing the gap between the two franchises.
"I always felt you know, how good you are on paper hardly matters. How good you are on that particular day is something, which is the most important. And the shorter the format, the narrower is the margin between the best of teams. And the last 2 years, we have struggled, and it is a fact. You know, there is no point shying away from the fact that RCB has done really, really well," Dhoni was quoted as saying by NDTV Sports.
Dhoni acknowledged that both success and failure are part of sport, and that how a team responds to difficult periods defines its character.
"That is how life is. You have good times, you have bad times, but you know how to come out of it, what things you want to work on as a team, those are crucial things. Because you know, when we are winning, we knew that there will come a point when we will start losing, and the real test of character is when you're not doing well. So, RCB have consistently performed in the last couple of years, and we have not done that in the last couple of years," he added.
Dhoni expressed optimism about CSK's prospects for the 2027 season, identifying injury management as a key factor in the franchise's recovery. He said the franchise hopes to 'keep the injuries out of way' and have fit players available throughout the 2027 campaign.
He also spoke about the importance of clarity within the squad, noting that when players understand their roles and responsibilities, it simplifies team management and performance.
"It makes life slightly easy, when people understand their role and responsibility. So we hope for another close one so that, you know, next time when we come over here (in Bengaluru for a clash against RCB), we can say that, okay, you know, 2027, we had another close game which was a lot of fun for the spectators," Dhoni added.
Why is Bengaluru a unique venue for batsmen and bowlers?
Dhoni reflected on the Bengaluru venue as a unique setting that favours aggressive batting and places bowlers under considerable pressure. Because at the end of the day, entertainment is central to the sport, and Bengaluru offers batsmen an ideal platform for attacking cricket.
"Because at the end of the day, we are entertainers, you know, we come over here and entertain. And another reason why we as a batsman, why we all the batsmen love Bangalore is, you know, the ball travels over. You know, this is one venue if you hit the ball, you know, it goes for a six. Even if you are strong, you mistime a ball, there are chances it may go for a six."
Dhoni noted that bowlers at the Bengaluru ground accept the challenge of the venue and view performing well there as a mark of quality. The pressure on bowlers is considerable, yet they embrace the challenge as a test of their skill and temperament.
"I feel batsmen, they love it. And bowlers, they somehow, they are under the pump; they are under pressure, but they also, you know, in a way they accept that, okay, this is one venue where, you know, if you do decently well, you are regarded as a good bowler. So they turn the heat up on the batsmen, say, you know, we are expecting— you are expected to hit us. So it is a very nice venue overall, you know, high-scoring but a lot of fun," he concluded.
