"Others get homesickness when they go away, they get homesickness when they come home" - Aakash Chopra on RCB's IPL 2025 loss vs PBKS

Former India player Aakash Chopra has noted that the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), unlike most other teams, are feeling more at home in away games than at their home ground. He highlighted that the M Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch has not been to the Bengaluru-based team's liking.

RCB suffered a five-wicket defeat against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Match 34 of IPL 2025 in Bengaluru on Friday, April 18. They set a 96-run target in a 14-over rain-truncated game, which the visitors achieved with 11 deliveries to spare.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener noted that RCB couldn't end their losing run at home, pointing out that the pitch is not helping their cause.

"Others get homesickness when they go away, they get homesickness when they come home. This is RCB's story. The pitch isn't suiting this team at all. It was the third consecutive game where there was help for the bowlers on the pitch. It was turning a little, there was a little extra bounce, and it was spongy. It's not the pitch they would like," he said (0:05).

Chopra noted that virtually every RCB batter got dismissed while attempting big shots.

"They lost the toss and got to bat first, and wickets started falling quickly. Whether it was Phil Salt, Virat Kohli or Liam Livingstone, everyone was slogging and getting out. The team was restricted to 95/9," he observed.

The cricketer-turned-commentator opined that Rajat Patidar and company managed a below-par score in an attempt to post a big total due to the venue's high-scoring reputation.

"They are going on reputation, that they need to score 10 runs per over on this ground. It would have worked out with 120. You were looking for 140 and 95 were scored. It happens many times that you try to go too far but fall extremely short. Whoever came was slogging. No one tried to play properly, which is becoming a bit of an issue, definitely at home," Chopra elaborated.

However, Aakash Chopra praised Tim David for scoring a half-century in a 95-run total. The Australian big-hitter smashed an unbeaten 50 off 26 deliveries with the help of five fours and three sixes.

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"If a job can be done with difficulty, why should you do it easily?" - Aakash Chopra on PBKS' chase in IPL 2025 win vs RCB

Prabhsimran Singh was one of the PBKS batters dismissed while playing an ungainly shot. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Reflecting on the Punjab Kings' chase, Aakash Chopra praised Josh Hazlewood for bowling a potent spell and noted that the visitors made their job difficult.

"Josh Hazlewood was absolutely brilliant. The bounce was steep, and the Punjab players got out while trying to hit shots. If a job can be done with difficulty, why should you do it easily? They kept hitting. 10 runs had come, and Prabhsimran Singh tried to slog. Then 10 runs had come again, and Priyansh Arya tried to slog," he said (3:40) in the same video.

The analyst lauded Nehal Wadhera for taking his team over the line after Hazlewood had dismissed Shreyas Iyer and Josh Inglis in the same over.

"After that, Josh Hazlewood dismissed Shreyas Iyer with a good ball. Josh Inglis also got out, and the match became a little thrilling. However, Nehal came in the end. Well done, my friend. Haal tha behaal, saamne aa gaya Nehal. He hit sixes and won the match," Chopra observed.

Josh Hazlewood registered figures of 3/14 in three overs in RCB's IPL 2025 home game against PBKS. Nehal Wadhera scored an unbeaten 33 off 19 deliveries with the help of three fours and as many sixes.