Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) is a franchise cricket team based in Bengaluru that competes in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The team was originally known as Royal Challengers Bangalore before changing its name to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2024. RCB play their home matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium and are owned by Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited.
RCB were one of the eight original franchises in the first IPL season in 2008. The team struggled in its first campaign but quickly became a regular contender, reaching the final in 2009 and again in 2011. They also finished runners-up in 2016 before finally winning their first IPL title in 2025.
RCB then followed their breakthrough title with another championship in 2026, defeating Gujarat Titans by five wickets in the final. The victory made RCB the third franchise after Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians to successfully defend an IPL title.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru History
Royal Challengers Bengaluru were established ahead of the inaugural IPL season in 2008. The franchise was one of the eight original teams and represented the city of Bengaluru.
The first season was difficult for RCB. They finished in the bottom two and recorded only four wins. However, the team made a major improvement in 2009 and reached the final in South Africa, where they lost to Deccan Chargers.
RCB reached the playoffs again in 2010 before making another final in 2011. They lost that final to Chennai Super Kings.
The franchise became closely associated with Virat Kohli, who joined RCB in the inaugural season after India’s 2008 Under-19 World Cup triumph. Kohli remained with the franchise throughout his IPL career and eventually became its long-time captain.
The 2013 season brought another major change when Kohli became the team’s full-time captain. Under his leadership, RCB reached the 2016 final after an outstanding campaign led by Kohli’s record-breaking batting.
RCB’s 2016 season remains one of the most memorable individual campaigns in IPL history. Kohli scored 973 runs, including four centuries, while Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers also played major roles for the team.
The team continued to attract major international stars but went through several seasons without reaching the final. RCB returned to the playoffs in 2022, making it three consecutive playoff appearances at that point.
RCB’s First IPL Title
After years of near misses, Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally won their first IPL championship in 2025.
RCB finished strongly during the 2025 season and reached the final against Punjab Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Punjab Kings scored 190/9 after being asked to bat first.
RCB’s bowlers then restricted Punjab during the chase. Krunal Pandya produced the key spell and won the Player of the Match award, while RCB held their nerve in the final over to win by six runs.
The victory ended an 18-year wait for the franchise and gave RCB their first IPL trophy.
Virat Kohli was part of RCB from the first IPL season and remained with the franchise through its first championship, making the 2025 title particularly significant in the team’s history.
RCB in IPL 2026
RCB entered the 2026 season as defending champions and finished the league stage at the top of the points table.
The team played 14 league matches, winning nine and losing five. They collected 18 points and finished ahead of Gujarat Titans on net run rate.
RCB then defeated Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 to reach another IPL final.
The final was again played against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Gujarat scored 155/8 after RCB chose to bowl first.
RCB chased the target successfully, reaching 161/5 in 18 overs to win by five wickets. Virat Kohli scored an unbeaten 75 from 42 balls and was named Player of the Match.
The result gave RCB their second IPL title in two seasons. It also made them only the third IPL franchise to successfully defend the championship.
RCB IPL Titles
| Year | Result | Opponent in Final |
| 2008 | Playoffs not reached | — |
| 2009 | Runner-up | Deccan Chargers |
| 2010 | Semi-finalist | — |
| 2011 | Runner-up | Chennai Super Kings |
| 2012 | League stage | — |
| 2013 | League stage | — |
| 2014 | League stage | — |
| 2015 | Playoffs | — |
| 2016 | Runner-up | Sunrisers Hyderabad |
| 2017 | League stage | — |
| 2018 | League stage | — |
| 2019 | League stage | — |
| 2020 | Playoffs | — |
| 2021 | Playoffs | — |
| 2022 | Playoffs | — |
| 2023 | League stage | — |
| 2024 | Playoffs | — |
| 2025 | Champion | Punjab Kings |
| 2026 | Champion | Gujarat Titans |
RCB have now won two consecutive IPL titles, in 2025 and 2026. They previously reached three finals before winning their first championship.
RCB Captains
Several players have captained RCB since the franchise entered the IPL.
Rahul Dravid was the team’s first captain in 2008. Anil Kumble later led the side, while Daniel Vettori also served as captain.
Virat Kohli became the most important captain in RCB history, leading the franchise for nine seasons. He guided the team to the 2016 final and remained a central figure until the end of his captaincy period.
Faf du Plessis later became captain and led RCB during several playoff campaigns.
Rajat Patidar is the current captain. He led RCB to the IPL titles in 2025 and 2026.
Virat Kohli and RCB
Virat Kohli has been the defining player in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s history.
He joined the franchise in 2008 after leading India to the Under-19 World Cup title. Kohli made his IPL debut in the first match of the tournament against Kolkata Knight Riders at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Kohli became RCB’s full-time captain in 2013 and remained in the role for nine seasons. He led the team to the 2016 final, when he produced one of the greatest individual batting seasons in IPL history.
In 2016, Kohli scored 973 runs, including four centuries. He also won the Orange Cap and the season’s Most Valuable Player award.
His connection with RCB continued after he stepped down as captain. Kohli remained an important part of the team and played a major role in both the 2025 and 2026 championship campaigns.
In the 2026 final, Kohli scored 75 not out from 42 balls and was named Player of the Match.
Famous RCB Players
Virat Kohli
Kohli is RCB’s most important long-term player and one of the leading run-scorers in IPL history. He has spent his entire IPL career with the franchise.
AB de Villiers
AB de Villiers became one of the most popular players in RCB history after joining the team in 2011. His innovative batting and outstanding fielding made him one of the franchise’s biggest stars.
Chris Gayle
Chris Gayle played a major role for RCB between 2011 and 2017. He won the Orange Cap in 2011 and 2012 and produced several memorable innings for the franchise.
Yuzvendra Chahal
Chahal became RCB’s leading wicket-taking spinner during his time with the franchise and was an important part of the team’s bowling attack for several seasons.
Glenn Maxwell
Maxwell joined RCB in 2021 and became an important middle-order batter and all-rounder. He played a major role in the team’s playoff runs during the early 2020s.
Faf du Plessis
Du Plessis captained RCB from 2022 and helped the team reach the playoffs in multiple seasons. He also provided experience at the top of the batting order.
RCB Current Squad
The current RCB squad includes a mix of experienced Indian players, international stars and younger cricketers. Rajat Patidar remains the captain, while Virat Kohli continues to be one of the team’s main batting figures. Andy Flower is the head coach.
The current squad includes:
- Rajat Patidar
- Virat Kohli
- Tim David
- Jacob Bethell
- Romario Shepherd
- Josh Hazlewood
- Nuwan Thushara
- Devdutt Padikkal
- Jitesh Sharma
- Rasikh Dar
- Krunal Pandya
- Yash Dayal
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar
- Jordan Cox
- Suyash Sharma
- Venkatesh Iyer
- Swapnil Singh
- Jacob Duffy
- Kanishk Chouhan
- Abhinandan Singh
- Mangesh Yadav
- Phil Salt
- Satvik Deswal
- Vicky Ostwal
- Vihaan Malhotra
- Richard Gleeson
The official IPL team profile lists Rajat Patidar as captain and Andy Flower as head coach.
RCB Home Ground
RCB’s traditional home ground is the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
The stadium is known for its relatively small boundaries and high-scoring matches. It has been closely connected with RCB since the first IPL season and has hosted many of the franchise’s most memorable games.
The venue has also been strongly associated with Virat Kohli. RCB’s own statistical review previously recorded Kohli as the stadium’s leading IPL run-scorer, highlighting his long connection with the Bengaluru ground.
For the 2026 season, RCB played five home matches in Bengaluru, while two remaining home fixtures were scheduled at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur.
RCB Team Name
The franchise was originally called Royal Challengers Bangalore.
In 2024, the team changed its name to Royal Challengers Bengaluru to reflect the official name of the city. The abbreviation RCB remained unchanged.
The team’s identity has continued to be built around its Bengaluru connection, red-and-gold colours and large fan base.
RCB Records and Highlights
RCB have produced some of the most memorable individual performances in IPL history.
Chris Gayle scored 175 not out for RCB against Pune Warriors India in 2013, producing one of the most famous innings in T20 cricket.
Virat Kohli’s 973 runs in the 2016 IPL remain one of the strongest individual season totals in the tournament’s history. He also became the first player to score four centuries in an IPL season.
RCB also produced a remarkable run in the 2016 playoffs. Their victory over Gujarat Lions in Qualifier 1 took them to their third IPL final, following their previous appearances in 2009 and 2011.
The franchise finally broke its title drought in 2025 and then won back-to-back championships in 2026.
RCB Team Overview
| Category | Details |
| Full Name | Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
| Former Name | Royal Challengers Bangalore |
| Short Name | RCB |
| Founded | 2008 |
| League | Indian Premier League |
| Home City | Bengaluru, Karnataka |
| Home Ground | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium |
| Owner | Royal Challengers Sports Private Limited |
| Current Captain | Rajat Patidar |
| Head Coach | Andy Flower |
| IPL Titles | 2 |
| First IPL Title | 2025 |
| Second IPL Title | 2026 |
| 2026 Final Opponent | Gujarat Titans |
| 2026 Final Result | Won by 5 wickets |
| Most Famous Long-term Player | Virat Kohli |
FAQs
Q. When was Royal Challengers Bengaluru founded?
A. RCB was founded in 2008.
Q. How many IPL titles have RCB won?
A. RCB have won two IPL titles.
Q. When did RCB win their first IPL title?
A. RCB won their first title in 2025.
Q. Who is the current RCB captain?
A. Rajat Patidar is the current RCB captain.
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