Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni might probably be squaring off for the one final time in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) get ready to battle at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday. Both teams are witnessing a contrasting fate in the IPL 2025 edition. RCB are in the top half of the points table while MS Dhoni's CSK are at the bottom of the table.

Ahead of the fixture against CSK, RCB opening batter Virat Kohli termed the rivalry with MS Dhoni and co as the "most intense", saying both teams get an equal amount of support in Bengaluru, and this makes it really challenging.

MS Dhoni has been leading CSK in the ongoing 18th edition of the T20 tournament after Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out due to a hairline fracture on his elbow. On the other hand, RCB are at the third spot in the points table and the team have been performing exceptionally well under the leadership of Rajat Patidar.

“I would say one team that, historically, I’ve felt we’ve had the most intense games with is Chennai Super Kings in Bengaluru. Because in Chennai, of course, there are Chennai fans—it’s just yellow and CSK fans everywhere. But to play against CSK in Bengaluru is something else because a lot of Chennai fans come to Bengaluru," Kohli said on ‘18 Calling 18’ on JioHotstar.

"CSK fans travel in huge numbers, so they buy tickets very early and take over a section of the stadium. So, there’s an intense atmosphere inside the stadium in Bengaluru when playing against CSK. And then, obviously, the game also gets very intense and competitive. That environment is the most exciting I’ve been a part of," he added.

'It's been a long journey'

Virat Kohli has been in remarkable form in the ongoing IPL 2025 for RCB, scoring 443 runs in 10 matches for the franchise. The right-handed batter is in the race to win the Orange Cap and is at the third spot in the leading run-scorers list, behind Gujarat Titans' Sai Sudharsan and Mumbai Indians' Suryakumar Yadav.

The former RCB captain said he never expected the tournament to become this big when it started in 2008.

"It's been a long journey—one that we have seen grow, evolve, and become this amazing spectacle. Honestly, when IPL started, I never thought it could reach a stage like this," said Kohli.

"But 18 years and rolling, and every year you feel the same excitement, if not more, which is a massive credit to the league, the way it's organized, the teams, the competitiveness, and the professionalism—top-notch," he added.

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