Dinesh Karthik, a veteran IPL player since its inception in 2008, recently discussed his love-hate relationship with Royal Challengers Bengaluru fans.
Karthik started his IPL career with Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) and later played for Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians. He joined RCB in 2014 and later captained KKR before returning to Bengaluru.
Ahead of the IPL 2022 season, Royal Challengers Bengaluru made a significant investment in purchasing Karthik to fulfill the finishing role.
Although the Bengaluru-based franchise has not won any trophies, it has still managed to build one of the largest fanbases.
During a conversation with Ravichandran Ashwin, Karthik discussed the conduct of RCB fans.
“RCB fans are fiercely loyal. They are like family, for better or worse. The good side is that they always cheer for me and make me feel like the greatest player alive. No matter what others say, RCB fans will never give up on their players. If someone criticizes one of us, the fans will come to our defence. Their unwavering support uplifts us even during tough times on the field.”
Karthik, however, exposed the toxic culture within the RCB fanbase. He revealed that some fans had abused him.
“Some of the fans have personally abused me daily through silent DMs instead of one-on-one communication. If I underperform for RCB, they will threaten not only me but also my family and anyone else in my life.”