Vijay Mallya Breaks Silence After Royal Challengers Bengaluru Thrash Chennai Super Kings in Bengaluru

Vijay Mallya tweets for Royal Challengers Bengaluru's massive victory [Source: AP, Screengrab]

Vijay Mallya, one of the founding members of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, has long been vocal about the franchise’s trajectory and achievements. Vijay Mallya, who now resides in London, relinquished ownership of Royal Challengers Bengaluru in March 2016, stepping down from the chairmanship amid a series of financial and legal challenges.

Following Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s emphatic defeat of Chennai Super Kings at Chinnaswamy Stadium on April 5, 2026, Vijay Mallya conveyed his thoughts on the historic IPL encounter via his official X (formerly Twitter) handle.

Bengaluru Enjoy Special Win Over Chennai Super Kings At Chinnaswamy

Royal Challengers Bengaluru delivered a thumping defeat to Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026, led by Tim David’s mammoth knock of 70 runs off just 25 deliveries. The innings from Tim David set the tone for a relentless top‑order assault that saw Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s batters dominate from ball one.

Chennai Super Kings’ bowlers were reduced to mere spectators as Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, and Rajat Patidar each continued the onslaught with aggressive strokes, rotating the strike and finding the boundary with regularity.

The decisive moment arrived when Tim David unleashed a monstrous spell, hammering eight sixes and three fours at an astronomical strike rate of 280.00. Jamie Overton bore the brunt of Tim David’s aggression, conceding 30 runs in a single over.

Chennai Super Kings could not sustain the required run rate, eventually falling short by 43 runs. In response to Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s triumph, Vijay Mallya turned to his official X handle to issue a special congratulatory note.

Vijay Mallya’s Long Association With Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Vijay Mallya, the founding member of the franchise in 2008, transferred full control of Royal Challengers Bengaluru to Diageo‑controlled United Spirits in 2016. The 2016 transition marked the end of Vijay Mallya’s direct involvement with the team originally acquired for USD 111 million in 2008.

Even after stepping away from day‑to‑day responsibilities, Royal Challengers Bengaluru remains a passion project for Vijay Mallya, who continues to hold Bengaluru close to his heart.

“I would like to heartily congratulate the new owners of the franchise. I wish them the very best and Godspeed with the most valuable IPL franchise,” Vijay Mallya wrote in a past tweet reflecting on the journey of Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

“When I bought the franchise in 2008 for INR 450 crores, most people laughed at me and criticised my investment as a vanity project. Behind my much‑touted madness was building the Royal Challenge brand, and hence I named the franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru,” Vijay Mallya explained in an earlier post.

Vijay Mallya Congratulates Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Speaking after Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s massive win over Chennai Super Kings, Vijay Mallya offered his congratulations, emphasizing the dominant performance displayed at Chinnaswamy Stadium.

“Congratulations Royal Challengers Bengaluru namma Sinhagulu. You roared like the Lion of Bengaluru against your arch rivals. Onward and Upward,” Vijay Mallya wrote.

Vijay Mallya has consistently positioned himself as a staunch admirer of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, recalling the early days when a young Virat Kohli was selected by the franchise—a decision that ultimately contributed to the rise of one of cricket’s modern greats.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru At The Top Of The IPL 2026 Points Table

The decisive victory orchestrated by Tim David now pushes Royal Challengers Bengaluru one step closer in the head‑to‑head rivalry, where Chennai Super Kings have previously won 22 of the 37 encounters between the two sides.

Continuing their dominant display, Royal Challengers Bengaluru currently sit atop the IPL 2026 points table, having won both of their opening matches and posting a formidable net run rate of 2.501.

The next challenge for Royal Challengers Bengaluru will arrive on April 10, when the side faces the Rajasthan Royals at the Guwahati International Stadium in Assam, marking the first away fixture of the season for both teams.