It is extremely important to finish in top two: RCB batting coach and mentor Dinesh Karthik

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have never finished in the top two in the Indian Premier League (IPL) standings since 2016, when they made it to the finals. They have a golden opportunity to end the jinx as a win on Tuesday, May 27, against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, will assure them a place in Qualifier 1.

RCB batting coach and mentor Dinesh Karthik stressed the importance of finishing in the top two. The former India wicketkeeper-batter said that the Rajat Patidar-led side has had specific goals at different points in the ongoing IPL 2025 season. However, they set themselves a target to finish in the top two only a few games ago.

"It is extremely important to finish in top two. That's all we have wanted so we're trying really hard for it. We had specific goals at different points of time, but somewhere, a few games ago we decided that we are going to try to get to top two and we've been trying everything possible to achieve that," Karthik said ahead of the clash against LSG.

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Clash against LSG for RCB a must-win game for top-two finish

Notably, RCB are currently stationed at No. 3 in the IPL 2025 points table with 17 points from 13 games. However, a win will take them ahead of Gujarat Titans, who have 18 points after completing their quota of 14 matches. Punjab Kings are leading the table with 19 points from 14 games. They have booked themselves a spot in Qualifier 1, which will be held at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur on Thursday, May 29. Meanwhile, a defeat for RCB on Tuesday will take them to the Eliminator, where the Mumbai Indians are waiting.

The Bengaluru-based franchise suffered a setback in the last game as they lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad by 42 runs in Lucknow in a high-scoring encounter. Patidar and Co. would want to bounce back and put on a stellar show against an inconsistent LSG side on Tuesday.