Royal Challengers Bengaluru: The IPL's Most Popular Underdog

The Brand Without the Trophy

Royal Challengers Bengaluru — initially Royal Challengers Bangalore — are arguably the IPL's most commercially powerful franchise despite being one of its least successful on the field during the first 16 years. Built around the star power of Virat Kohli, who played for RCB from the IPL's first season in 2008, the franchise developed a global fanbase known as 'Ek Aur Chance' — one more chance — a rallying cry born from serial near-misses.

Three Finals, Zero Titles (2008–2023)

RCB reached the IPL final in 2009, 2011, and 2016 — losing all three. The 2016 final defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad, when RCB had assembled arguably their most formidable batting lineup (Kohli, de Villiers, Gayle), was particularly painful. Despite record individual performances — Kohli's 973-run 2016 IPL season, AB de Villiers' countless match-winning cameos — the title remained elusive.

The 2025 Title

RCB finally won the IPL in 2025 under captain Rajat Patidar, beating Punjab Kings by 6 runs in Ahmedabad. The title ended 17 years of waiting and became one of the IPL's most emotional moments — Virat Kohli was the team's leading scorer (657 runs) while Patidar led the side with calm authority.

At different points, RCB have had the world's top batsman in residence — Virat Kohli for his consistency and Chris Gayle for his explosiveness. Gayle scored 175* against PWI in 2013, the highest individual score in IPL history. Kohli has scored the most runs in IPL history overall — both records belong to RCB players.

Chinnaswamy: The Home Ground

M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore, is RCB's home — a 35,000-capacity ground known for its small boundaries and flat pitches, perfect for RCB's batting-first philosophy. High-scoring matches, raucous crowds, and the distinctive red-and-gold colour scheme create one of the IPL's most vibrant atmospheres.