Royal Challengers Bengaluru batting coach and mentor Dinesh Karthik has spoken about the deep connection he feels with the franchise’s supporters, saying they welcomed him “like one of their own” and that this relationship has been central to his journey. Karthik, who played for RCB in IPL 2025 after earlier representing the side from 2022 to 2024 for a second spell, described how the bond with the fan base helped shape his experience both on and off the field. After bringing an end to his IPL playing career, he moved into his current role with Bengaluru in a smooth transition, with the franchise going on to lift the championship for the first time in 2025.
In an upcoming episode of the Quest Talk podcast by iQOO, Karthik recalled the emotional place RCB fans hold in his story. “RCB fans made me who I am today. They adopted me as their son from their own land, and I have enjoyed that. One moment I would like to live again is RCB winning the IPL. I think that was a great moment, an iconic moment,” he said, capturing the pride he still feels about the franchise’s title triumph.
With RCB already having secured qualification for the IPL 2026 playoffs and sitting at the top of the points table on 18 points from 13 matches, Karthik was also asked whether a repeat of that championship success could be on the cards again this year. He responded with a classic note of caution: “Touch wood.”
Karthik then pointed to the importance of the franchise’s leadership group in building a mindset geared toward success. He explained that the coaching and support structure has evolved over time, with Sanjay Bangar and Mike Hesson involved first, before Andy Flower and Mo Bobat took over the roles that followed. In his view, each phase contributed to assembling the right balance and maintaining momentum toward the playoffs.
“In 2022, Sanjay Bangar and Mike Hesson did a good job for RCB in picking a fairly balanced team, but we still managed to keep going to the playoffs, but never ended up crossing that line. And then there were two people that RCB bought – Andy Flower and Mo Bobat,” Karthik said, describing how the squad’s path improved as the support system strengthened.
He also singled out Mo Bobat as someone who has had a major impact on him personally, adding that he has learned a great deal from the former player and values the way he approaches his work. “In the recent past, the person who has highly influenced me, I have learned a lot from him and enjoyed spending time with him, is Mo Bobat, because I feel he is someone who has great vision, knowledge, and who has come through the grind and is very respectful,” Karthik said.
On Andy Flower, Karthik was even more emphatic, calling him the standout coach in the global game. “Andy Flower is by far the best coach in the world by a distance. Purely from a results point of view, there is no one even close to him. Mind you, he does everything possible to win. And I’m very proud to say that RCB has a good culture in place and that is reflective of the way we play, of the way we behave, and of the way we prepare,” he added.
