4 similarities between RCB's IPL 2025 win and CSK's title in 2018

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) clinched their maiden IPL crown on June 3, 2025, narrowly defeating Punjab Kings (PBKS) by six runs in a closely contested final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

After being put into bat, RCB posted a competitive total of 190/9. In response, PBKS struggled to build momentum as RCB's bowlers struck at crucial moments, eventually restricting them to 184/7. The hard-fought victory brought RCB their first-ever IPL trophy, ending an 18-year wait for championship glory.

As Royal Challengers finally tasted victory, their IPL 2025 campaign turned out to be both historic and memorable—drawing notable parallels to Chennai Super Kings’ 2018 title-winning season under MS Dhoni, which marked their third championship.

On that note, In this article, we explore four key similarities between RCB’s maiden triumph in 2025 and CSK’s iconic 2018 victory.

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4 similarities between RCB's IPL 2025 win and CSK's title in 2018

#1 Second-place finish followed by Qualifier 1 and Final wins

Chennai Super Kings had an outstanding campaign in IPL 2018, finishing second on the points table with 18 points from 14 matches. They faced SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Qualifier 1 and edged past them with a two-wicket win. The two sides met again in the final, where CSK once again emerged victorious, chasing down a target of 179 with eight wickets in hand.

Similarly, Royal Challengers Bengaluru ended the league stage of IPL 2025 in second place, collecting 19 points from 14 matches. Rajat Patidar’s side cruised to an eight-wicket win over Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1. In the final, RCB faced Punjab once more and clinched the title with a narrow six-run victory while defending a total of 190.

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#2 An Indian batter scored over 600 runs in the season

In the 2018 season, Ambati Rayudu emerged as the standout batter for Chennai Super Kings, scoring 602 runs in 16 innings at an average of 43.00 and a strike rate of 149.75. His tally included three half-centuries and a century, playing a crucial role in CSK’s title run.

Likewise, for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the 2025 edition, Virat Kohli crossed the 600-run mark in style. The 36-year-old scored 657 runs in 15 innings, averaging 54.75 with a strike rate of 144.71, including eight half-centuries.

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#3 Neither team lost two consecutive matches at any stage of the tournament

Another notable similarity between Chennai Super Kings’ title-winning campaign in 2018 and Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s triumph in 2025 is that neither team suffered back-to-back defeats at any point during the tournament.

CSK played 16 matches in 2018, winning 11 and losing five, without ever losing two games in a row. Similarly, RCB also played 16 matches in the 2025 season, winning 11, losing four, with one match ending in a no result, maintaining consistent form throughout and avoiding consecutive losses.

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#4 Depth in the squad: 8+ different Player of the Match winners

Chennai Super Kings' 2018 title win was a testament to collective performance, with eight different members of the squad earning Player of the Match honors.

Shane Watson led the pack with three awards, followed by Ambati Rayudu with two. Dwayne Bravo, Sam Billings, MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Faf du Plessis, and Lungi Ngidi also made key contributions, each winning the award once.

In similar fashion, Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s 2025 triumph showcased strong all-round contributions, with nine individuals receiving Player of the Match recognition.

Krunal Pandya claimed three awards, while captain Rajat Patidar earned two. Phil Salt, Tim David, Virat Kohli, Josh Hazlewood, Romario Shepherd, Jitesh Sharma, and Suyash Sharma each picked up one, reflecting the team’s depth and consistency throughout the season.