Last Updated:
Sunil Gavaskar was seen enjoying himself with Champak, the robot dog, ahead of the IPL 2025 match between RCB and RR at M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Sunil Gavaskar and Champak ahead of RCB vs RR IPL 2025 match. (Image: Screengrab)
The former Indian cricketer and batting great, Sunil Gavaskar, was seen showcasing his jovial self ahead of the Indian Premier League 2025 match between the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and the Rajasthan Royals at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Thursday.
The former cricketer, who is now a commentator and broadcast expert, was seen having a fun time ahead of the start of the game, playing with Champak, the robot dog who is seen making a regular appearance at the toss.
Several cricketers like Axar Patel, MS Dhoni and many others have been seen interacting with the robot during their respective games, and it has become a viral sensation across social media.
In the video uploaded by the IPL on its official handle on social media, Gavaskar can be seen playing around with the robot dog, which is imitating the legendary cricketer’s actions as well.
The toss saw the Rajasthan Royals winning the toss and choosing to field first. The side led by Riyan Parag opted to make one change to their playing 11 by bringing in Fazalhaq Farooqui in place of Maheesh Theekshana.
RCB’s opening pair of Phil Salt and Virat Kohli, struggled to get their timing on point but ended up managing to score 59 runs without losing any wickets in the first six overs.
After winning the toss, Parag said Farooqi comes in for off-spinner Maheesh Theekshana. “The wicket looks a bit sticky and should get better later on. It’s back to our ethics now; if we can give our 100 percent, the results will take care of themselves. Sanju (Samson) bhai is recovering. We are taking it game by game and hopefully, he will be back soon,” he said.
RCB skipper Rajat Patidar, who lost his fourth consecutive toss at home in IPL 2025, said his playing eleven is unchanged.
“We would have loved to bowl first as well. The surface has been tricky and unpredictable this season, and we will try to adapt as quickly as we can. We have to be good at shot selection,” he said.
Before the toss, RR had handed a debut cap to uncapped wicketkeeper-batter Kunal Singh Rathore. With his name in the impact substitutes, it would be interesting to see if he comes in for the chase. The match will be played on the centre pitch, with the down the ground boundary at 73 metres while the square boundaries are at 64 metres.
(with IANS Inputs)
