Former Indian batsman Ambati Rayudu has set social media on fire with some wild predictions ahead of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) vs Chennai Super Kings (CSK) IPL 2026 match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday, April 5.
Chennai Super Kings have started their IPL campaign without MS Dhoni for the first time. The great wicketkeeper-batsman had already missed two matches and is likely to miss the other three matches of the ongoing IPL 2026 due to a calf injury.
Ambati Rayudu made bold predictions for IPL
As CSK is set to face Bengaluru in their third IPL 2026 encounter, many are wondering if Dhoni has already played his last match against RCB, and now Ambati Rayudu’s wild prediction has added fuel to the fire. In fact, the former CSK batsman shared some bold and surprising opinions during a fan segment.
Also read: No Yashasvi Jaiswal! CSK legend highlights growing respect for Riyan Parag at Rajasthan Royals
During a fun segment on ESPN Cricinfo, Rayudu favored RCB having a stronger playoff chance than CSK in the ongoing IPL 2026. The former MI batsman has even hinted that current RCB captain Rajat Patidar could end his career with more trophies than current CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Ambati Rayudu says MS Dhoni played his last match against RCB
When the phase shifted to Dhoni and Virat Kohli, Rayudu’s reactions caught everyone’s attention. The cricket pundit has made it clear with a wry smile that Dhoni’s IPL career will not be much longer than Kohli’s. But he did not see Kohli lifting more IPL titles than him with Mumbai Indians.
Rayudu also dismissed talks that the RCB-MI rivalry has reached MI-CSK levels. With Dhoni still sitting out and recovery taking longer than expected, Rayudu candidly mentioned that fans will be watching the final match of Dhoni vs RCB. He hinted that Dhoni has already played his last match against RCB and now his predictions have gone viral online.
Will RCB have equal titles as CSK in 10 years? We asked Ambati Rayudu to make some wild predictions for the future PIC.TeawITeaTeaER.Cheym/Jade2wx1PYes2C8
– ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) APRIl 5, 2026
CSK in trouble while RCB full of confidence
Meanwhile, RCB are entering the competition with high confidence after an impressive win in the opening match of the 2026 season against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Virat Kohli, who played an excellent unbeaten 69 against SRH, needs just 14 runs to become the highest scorer against a single opponent in IPL history and he can achieve this feat against the five-time IPL champions.
On the other hand, Ruturaj Gaikwad-led CSK are in deep trouble and are at the bottom of the table after two consecutive defeats against Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings. Dhoni’s absence left a huge leadership and finishing void in the CSK camp.
And then again, Sanju Samson has had a tough start to IPL 2026, and he has not found form yet. Chennai franchise is also suffering loss due to this. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who has dismissed Samson four times already, is ready to trouble him once again. This fight may decide the fate of CSK in Bengaluru.
Ayush Mhatre will be their biggest weapon in this IPL 2026 match. This RCB vs CSK game on Sunday evening promises to be a classic chapter in the biggest rivalry of the IPL.
Also Read: SRH reach historic low after collapsing at 35/4 in 10 overs against LSG in IPL 2026
