Introduction
Royal Challengers Bangalore, Founded in 2008, is an IPL cricket team situated in Bangalore, Karnataka. named after United Spirits' Royal Challenge whiskey brand. At M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, they play. They are valued at $69.8 million and have finished third three times. In 2024, Faf du Plessis will serve as team captain. In IPL history, RCB has conceded the fewest runs (49 runs) and the most runs (287 runs).
Franchise history
The BCCI launched the Indian Premier League (IPL) in September 2007, which is a Twenty20 league that will begin play in 2008. On February 20, 2008, teams from eight cities, including Bangalore, were put up for auction in Mumbai. Vijay Mallya made the second-highest bid, after the Mumbai Indians, to purchase the Bangalore franchise for US$111.6 million. Duff & Phelps valued the RCB brand at ₹595 crore (US$75 million) in 2019.
Royal Challengers Bangalore History
2008 Season, A Search for Shape
The Bangalore franchise designated Rahul Dravid as their symbol player prior to the 2008 IPL season and paid him a premium. Even after adding players such as Zaheer Khan and Jacques Kallis, the squad struggled and ended up eighth out of eight teams. The only player that performed consistently was David, as the team struggled with both form and management.
2009 Season, Pietersen and Kumble's Reversal of Events
Things took a turn for the better in 2009 with the arrival of Kevin Pietersen and the appointment of Anil Kumble as leader. The club gained momentum after getting off to a poor start and finished third in the league. Despite Kumble's outstanding bowling, they advanced to the championship game but lost to Deccan Chargers in a closely contested game.
2010 Season, Advance to the Semifinals
In 2010, RCB qualified for the semifinals under Kumble's captaincy once more after placing third in the league. They advanced to the Champions League Twenty20 despite losing to the Mumbai Indians in the semifinals. After the competition, Kumble announced his retirement despite leading the squad to excellent results.
2011–2012, Last Champions League and IPL appearances
Under the direction of new captain Daniel Vettori, RCB advanced to the IPL final in 2011 even though they lost important players in the auction. They were defeated by Chennai Super Kings, though. They also made it to the Champions League Twenty20 final, when they were defeated by the Mumbai Indians. Throughout these seasons, the team consistently put on strong performances.
2013–2016, Peaks and Valleys
RCB had inconsistent performance from 2013 to 2016. They have trouble staying consistent even with elite players like Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli. They fell to Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2016 final, despite making it that far. These were challenging times due to managerial upheavals and financial scandals.
2017–2019, Bottom-table Finishes
With several squad and managerial changes throughout this period, RCB experienced a decline. Even with their best players, they were never above the bottom of the table due to problems with injuries, form, and cohesiveness as a team.
2020–2022, Playoff Performance and Shift
RCB saw a comeback under new management and with tactical squad changes, and they qualified for the playoffs in 2020 and 2021. Even with their best individual efforts, they were not able to win the title. With a new coach and captain going into the 2022 season, RCB hopes to bounce back from setbacks and challenge for the title once more.
Rivalry with Hyderabad franchises
The teams from Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bangalore are bitter rivals in the IPL. RCB's hopes have frequently been shattered by SRH in pivotal games. RCB's chances of making the playoffs were made worse as SRH defeated them by 25 runs in the IPL 2024, breaking their record twice with scores of 277 and 287.
Royal Challengers Bangalore Support and fan following
With cries like “R-C-B” and “A-B-D” for AB de Villiers, stadiums in Bangalore, home to RCB, are transformed into a “sea of red” by the team's fervent supporters. Support from the Bold Army fan club is amplified. With 50 fan access points, RCB introduced free Wi-Fi at their home stadium, Chinnaswamy Stadium, in 2014.