Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) youngster Swastik Chikara opened up about his interaction with legendary batter MS Dhoni. Chikara, who was a member of the RCB side that lifted the IPL 2025 trophy under Rajat Patidar’s captaincy, recently shared his experience.
The 20-year-old featured on a YouTube podcast with CricXtasy, released on Sunday, September 7, where he recalled his first-ever meeting with Dhoni and said:
“It was a completely different feeling, Thala for a reason. The reason is him, bro. I mean, he’s really a good person, I swear. Dhoni bhai is just Dhoni bhai. Yash bhaiya was also there, and he was saying, ‘You’re talking as if you’ve known him for 10 years.’”
The Uttar Pradesh batter further expressed his belief that MS Dhoni will feature in the 2026 edition, emphasizing that at 44, the veteran still appears fit, energetic, and far from considering retirement.
“He’ll play, he’ll play, bro (IPL 2026). That man has so much energy. He’s very strong (Bahut jaan hai uss aadmi mein). He will play for sure. I don’t think he will retire anytime soon, in my opinion. We were laughing, joking, taking photos, and having fun. The conversation was casual. He asked where I’m from, and I said I live in a village. The chat was nice and relaxed. He said, ‘Good, you’re a desi guy,’ (Desi londa hai tu),” he added.
“Unmatched Atmosphere” – Swastik Chikara On RCB’s Battles With MI, CSK
During the discussion, Swastik Chikara highlighted that RCB’s contests against Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings stand apart from other games, stating:
“It’s completely different, on the next level, I’m telling you. The atmosphere is just unique, both within the team and from the opposing team, and also with the fans. In Mumbai, at first, they were chanting “Mumbai, Mumbai,” and then suddenly it became “RCB, RCB,” and then back to “Mumbai, Mumbai.” It was such a different kind of fun.”
Swastik Chikara claimed RCB has the best fan base, recalling how DJs in Chennai and Mumbai tried to distract crowds whenever they cheered for Bengaluru. He added:
“It happened in the Chennai match. Our match was in Chennai, and the RCB fans were chanting “RCB, RCB.” After that, the DJ started making some announcements. The same thing happened in Mumbai, with fans cheering for Virat, and then the DJ started playing. Basically, RCB has a completely different fan base. It’s strong, and I can’t even compare it to others.”
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