- June 4, 2025
To be frank, if you’re a Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fan, you are probably a decade older for the time you’ve spent supporting this team as they have over the years and if you thought it took a terrible team long to take out a shiny trophy, that’s nothing compared to how long the supporters of Punjab Kings (PBKS) have been waiting. This is why, for the fans of each team, when these two underdog giants met in the IPL 2025 final, it was very much a fireworks display of emotions from the supporters.
Legacy Isn’t Always Written in Gold
It is easy to evaluate everything by trophies – five-time winners like Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians have made the trophy look easy! But is it fair to only judge a team’s identity on trophies?
Look at RCB, they have made it 10 times to the playoffs, a level of consistency only a couple of teams can claim! Although they broke the spell this year, becoming champions in their first-ever IPL trophy, their previous history is not meaningless. A franchise consistently in the top 4 should signify success. RCB is not just their names (well maybe a little – Kohli, du Plessis, Maxwell), they have a culture where they keep coming back despite the memes flying around social media.
Their journey to the final this year was determined and gritty, and although they fell short yet again, they have shown over the last few years that it is possible to inspire, without being a champion.
The Weight of the Past: When History Becomes Baggage
That’s the crazy part about it. Once you’ve failed in the finals previously, it starts to mess with your head. Just like South Africa in ICC knockouts, it’s not just the eleven players on the field experiencing the pressure, it’s also the 10+ years before them of disappointment, astounded fans, and constant social network reminders.
For RCB, it was about ending a 17-season curse. The final was not just a game – it was a battle against their demons. Although many of the players from the older teams are no longer there, Virat Kohli is. The captain. The face of RCB. The guy who has carried the hopes and memes, and heartbreak over the years. When they finally did win, it wasn’t just a win – it was euphoric liberation.
PBKS has battled that too. They’ve been battling that “almost there” tag since their final heartbreak in 2014. And while they didn’t win, they looked calmer, more composed, more in control. That’s progress. Sometimes, dealing with mental barriers is just as important as winning titles.
Beyond the Scoreboard: Culture, Fans, and the Bigger Picture
Passion is something that isn’t tracked in the statistics. RCB fans filled up the stadiums, moved hashtags on social media, and continued to be faithful fans from season to season. This alone is a legacy. The franchise has built an identity around flair and fire, and fighting spirit. And now they have the final piece of the puzzle with the win in 2025; however, RCB was already iconic many years before, even sans the trophy.
PBKS has yet to reach that final win, but because of their heavy North Indian fan base, pursuing young local talent, and their rapid rebranding in their last seasons, they deserve that respect. It could be argued that what teams represent off the field carries just as much significance as what they accomplish on it.
So, the next time you hear someone critique a team for not having enough titles, ask them: would you rather have a one-time champ or a team that never runs out of try?
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