Royal Challengers Bengaluru: IPL Team Profile, Squad, Records, Title & History
Explore Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) — the IPL 2025 champions and one of the most followed franchises in world cricket. Follow RCB’s squad, IPL 2026 title defence, owners, home venue, captains, records, season-by-season results and complete history.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru at a Glance
Royal Challengers Bengaluru, one of the IPL’s original eight franchises, ended an 18-year wait for their maiden title in 2025. Backed by one of world sport’s most passionate fan bases, Bengaluru blend superstardom with a new Indian core built for sustained success.
| Information | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
| Short Name / Code | RCB |
| League | Indian Premier League (IPL) |
| Owner | Diageo (United Spirits); sale to Aditya Birla Group-led consortium agreed, pending approvals |
| Founded | 2008 (IPL’s inaugural season) |
| City | Bengaluru, Karnataka |
| Home Ground | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru (Capacity: 40,000) |
| IPL Titles | 1 — 2025 |
| IPL Finals | 4 — runners-up 2009, 2011, 2016; champions 2025 |
| Captain (IPL 2026) | Rajat Patidar |
| Head Coach | Andy Flower (Director of Cricket: Mo Bobat) |
| Team Colours | Red & Gold |
| Sister Team | RCB (Women) — WPL franchise |
Who Are the Royal Challengers Bengaluru?
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru are one of the ten franchises of the Indian Premier League, representing the city of Bengaluru. Originally owned by United Spirits (now Diageo) and named after the company’s flagship liquor brand, RCB have been home to some of T20 cricket’s biggest names — and to one of the largest, loudest fan armies in the sport.
For 17 seasons the title eluded them despite glittering squads: three finals (2009, 2011, 2016) ended in heartbreak, and “ee sala cup namde” (this year the cup is ours) became both a rallying cry and a running joke. In 2025, under a new leadership group of captain Rajat Patidar, coach Andy Flower and director of cricket Mo Bobat, RCB finally did it — beating Punjab Kings by six runs in the final in Ahmedabad to claim their maiden IPL crown, with Virat Kohli finally a champion after 18 seasons of loyalty.
Follow the franchise through the IPL 2026 season as RCB defend their crown, and track how their stars perform in ICC T20 World Cup 2026 duty for their countries.
RCB’s Ownership, Captains & Coaching Staff
Ownership
Long owned by Diageo (United Spirits). In 2025, a ~$1.78 billion sale to a consortium led by the Aditya Birla Group (with Times of India Group and Blackstone) was agreed — a record franchise valuation, pending BCCI and regulatory approvals.
Captains
Rahul Dravid, Kevin Pietersen, Anil Kumble, Daniel Vettori and Virat Kohli all led RCB before Faf du Plessis (2022–2024). Rajat Patidar, appointed in 2025, delivered the title in his first season.
Coaching Staff
Andy Flower (Head Coach) and Mo Bobat (Director of Cricket) rebuilt RCB around a strong Indian core and a potent pace attack — the blueprint that ended the title drought in 2025.
RCB’s IPL Title & Season-by-Season Record
RCB have reached the IPL final four times — heartbreak in 2009, 2011 and 2016, before glory in 2025.
IPL Finals Record
| Season | Final Venue | Opponent | Result | Captain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Wanderers, Johannesburg | Deccan Chargers | Lost by 6 runs | Anil Kumble |
| 2011 | MA Chidambaram, Chennai | Chennai Super Kings | Lost by 58 runs | Daniel Vettori |
| 2016 | Chinnaswamy, Bengaluru | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Lost by 8 runs | Virat Kohli |
| 2025 | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad | Punjab Kings | Won by 6 runs | Rajat Patidar |
Recent Seasons
| Season | Position | Won | Lost | Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPL 2022 | 4th (Playoffs) | 8 | 6 | Faf du Plessis’ first season as captain |
| IPL 2023 | 6th | 7 | 7 | Group stage exit |
| IPL 2024 | Playoffs (Eliminator) | 7 | 7 | Qualified on final day |
| IPL 2025 | Champions | 13 | 4 | Maiden title — beat PBKS by 6 runs in final |
| IPL 2026 | Defending the crown — follow the season live with schedule, points table and results on IndCricLeague. | |||
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Squad — IPL 2026
RCB’s title-defence core for IPL 2026 — a potent mix of Indian stars and explosive overseas talent.
| Player | Role | Country | Player | Role | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rajat Patidar (c) | Batter | India | Virat Kohli | Batter | India |
| Phil Salt (wk) | Wicket-Keeper | England | Devdutt Padikkal | Batter | India |
| Venkatesh Iyer | All-Rounder | India | Krunal Pandya | All-Rounder | India |
| Jacob Bethell | All-Rounder | England | Tim David | Batter | Australia |
| Romario Shepherd | All-Rounder | West Indies | Jitesh Sharma (wk) | Wicket-Keeper | India |
| Josh Hazlewood | Pace Bowler | Australia | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Pace Bowler | India |
| Suyash Sharma | Spinner | India | Yash Dayal | Pace Bowler | India |
| Liam Livingstone | All-Rounder | England | Swapnil Singh | All-Rounder | India |
Watch for RCB youngsters pushing for India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad — the IPL remains the final audition for national selection.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Key Players
M. Chinnaswamy Stadium — RCB’s Fortress
RCB play their home matches at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium (capacity 40,000) in the heart of Bengaluru — one of India’s most compact, high-altitude grounds, famous for its short boundaries and true batting surface. Few venues in world cricket generate an atmosphere like a packed Chinnaswamy under lights, with the stands a sea of red and gold.
The team’s famous motto “Ee Sala Cup Namde” (this year the cup is ours) is woven into Bengaluru’s identity, and the “RCB Army” is arguably the most passionate fan base in the IPL — their 2025 victory celebrations drew millions onto the city’s streets. The franchise also fields a team in the Women’s Premier League, extending the RCB brand across the game.
RCB Records, Stats & Famous Feuds
Kohli’s 2016 Masterclass
Virat Kohli’s 973 runs in IPL 2016 remain the most by any batter in a single IPL season — four centuries in one campaign, carrying RCB to the final almost single-handedly.
Gayle’s Fastest Century
Chris Gayle’s 30-ball hundred for RCB in 2013 was the fastest century in T20 history at the time — 175* off 66 balls, still one of the greatest T20 innings ever played.
Southern Rivalry
RCB vs Chennai Super Kings is the IPL’s fiercest southern derby. Despite years of CSK dominance, the rivalry — and the Kohli-Dhoni bond — splits the region every season.