RCB fans draw parallels to Rohit Sharma’s 2023 World Cup heartbreak, fueling fears as Patidar’s trophy pose goes viral.
June-3, 2025: Rajat Patidar has a chance to script history – to do what no captain before him has achieved: deliver the IPL trophy to Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The franchise’s long wait has seen legends like Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, Daniel Vettori, Virat Kohli, and Faf du Plessis fall short. But Patidar, in his first season as captain, has led RCB to the IPL 2025 final – their fourth ever – and is seen as their best hope yet to end this drought.
On Tuesday, as Patidar and Punjab Kings’ captain Shreyas Iyer posed with the glittering trophy in Ahmedabad, fans couldn’t help but notice something unsettling. A photograph of Patidar intently gazing at the trophy quickly went viral, with many comparing it to the infamous image of Rohit Sharma staring at the ODI World Cup trophy last year, a tournament that ended in heartbreak for India.
The unease among RCB supporters is palpable. “Oh no! What have you done, Rajat Patidar?” wrote one fan on social media, echoing the collective anxiety of a fanbase that’s been waiting since 2008 for their first title. The superstition around the so-called ‘trophy stare curse’ has RCB fans nervous, fearing the final might slip away yet again.
It's so over 💔 pic.twitter.com/XfUCM0m0GI
— Rishi (@was_rishi) June 2, 2025
The final against PBKS is especially significant because neither team has ever lifted the IPL trophy. For PBKS and their owner Preity Zinta, victory would erase years of near-misses. For Shreyas Iyer, it’s a chance to win a second successive IPL title, albeit with different franchises.
Same energy 💀😭🙏🏻#TATAIPL | #RCBvPBKS | #Final | #TheLastMile #RohitSharma #ViratKohli #RajatPatidar pic.twitter.com/TGD20qn9vr
— » 𝙒𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙭𝙭𝙯 » (@Wintrexxz) June 2, 2025
But for RCB, it’s not just about winning a title – it’s about banishing years of disappointment and heartbreak. Fans have gone all out, offering prayers and filling temples with photos of Virat Kohli and their other heroes. But Patidar’s glance at the trophy has added an unexpected layer of superstition.
Can RCB finally lift the trophy and silence the doubters? The answer awaits at the Narendra Modi Stadium tonight.
Tags:
RCB IPL final 2025, Rajat Patidar trophy stare, Rohit Sharma trophy curse, RCB vs PBKS final, IPL 2025 superstition, Virat Kohli IPL final, Rajat Patidar captaincy, IPL final Ahmedabad 2025