The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) appear to have suffered as a result of the altered schedule for the remaining IPL 2025, according to former India player Aakash Chopra. But in his view, the three-time runners-up have instead profited from the shift.
On the IPL 2025 points table, RCB is ranked second with 16 points from 11 games. On May 17 and 23, respectively, they will play the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Bengaluru. On May 7, they will play the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Lucknow to wrap up their league phase games.
The former India opener noted in a video posted to his YouTube channel, “Aakash Chopra,” that RCB seemed to have suffered as a result of the updated IPL 2025 calendar since they would no longer play their final league match at home.
“RCB were supposed to play their last game at home. That match was against KKR. Now that’s not the case. They will play their home matches first now, and their last match will be against Lucknow in Lucknow. If you see it from that point of view, they are hard done by.”
Aakash Chopra
The former cricket player turned analyst, however, believed that Rajat Patidar and company had benefited from the new schedule.
“However, I am saying they have benefited. They don’t play very well at home in any case, and they haven’t yet lost away. They have won all six. More importantly, they are playing the league’s last game. The last league game is RCB vs LSG.”
Aakash Chopra
“If RCB need to reach a particular net run rate to qualify for the top two at that stage, I am just hoping that the qualification would have happened by then and even if it wouldn’t have, they would know the margin with which they would need to win to qualify or finish in the top two.”
Aakash Chopra
If RCB wins any of their next three league games, they will be assured of a postseason berth. To guarantee a berth in Qualifier 1, they would want to place in the top two, though.
“It could be a problem for them” – Aakash Chopra on GT’s schedule for remainder of IPL 2025
Aakash Chopra stated in the same video that the Gujarat Titans (GT) may have suffered as a result of the updated IPL 2025 schedule.
“Gujarat had a match on the last day. Not the last match, but they had an afternoon match on the last league day. Now that’s not the case. Now they don’t have it on the second-last or the last day. So it could be a problem for them for sure because what is in RCB’s benefit was in GT’s benefit earlier, but it’s no longer in GT’s benefit. The good thing for GT is that their home games remain at home.”
Aakash Chopra
On May 18, the Gujarat Titans and Delhi Capitals (DC) will play in Delhi. They will play the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Ahmedabad on May 25 and the Lucknow Super Giants on May 22 to wrap up their league phase games.
