The Indian Premier League has blessed cricket fans with some of the most exciting rivalries. One rivalry that isn’t frequently associated with heated battles is the tussle between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals (RR). Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Rajasthan Royals timeline have historical profiles, with RR being the first champions in 2008, while RCB has always attracted talent (and accompanying glamor) with big names like Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, and Chris Gayle. Over the years, the encounters between the two franchises have given memories encapsulated – Shane Watson’s captaincy and all-round efforts, Anil Kumble’s impossible figures, Sanju Samson’s scorching innings, and Jos Buttler’s catch-and-smash performances.
Let’s take a step back and explore the RCB vs RR rivalry, season by season – we will not only look at the key moments in the tension, key games, and memorable records, but also how the rivalry has evolved through time.
Early Years (2008–2010)
2008
The rivalry got off to a tremendous start in the very first IPL season in 2008, when Rajasthan Royals, captained by Shane Warne, surprised everyone by defeating RCB in Bengaluru. Watson was the standout performer, making a contribution of 61* runs, and bowling economically as RR won the match comfortably by 7 wickets. When the teams met again in Jaipur, Yusuf Pathan’s big hitting ensured RR defeated RCB by 65 runs. From the outset, it was clear RR were in the ascendancy.
2009
In 2009, the tournament moved to South Africa and the results reflected the fickle nature of the new conditions. At Newlands in Cape Town, Anil Kumble produced one of the best five-wicket spells in IPL history- 5 wickets for just 5 runs- as he bowled RR cheaply out and RCB won by 75 runs. But RR struck back later at Centurion, where Naman Ojha made an unbeaten fifty and Amit Singh took four wickets, to defeat RCB by 7 wickets.
2010
By 2010, the scales had begun to tip. RCB now looked like a stronger side as they recorded two victories over RR. In Bengaluru, Jacques Kallis anchored RCB’s ten wicket thrashing, and in Jaipur, RCB won again by 5 wickets. After RR’s grip in Year 1, RCB had begun to fight back.
Read More: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Rajasthan Royals Match Scorecard
Middle Years (2011–2015)
2011
The rivalry settled into a kind of equilibrium phase. In 2011 one of the contests in Bengaluru was washed out, but in Jaipur, RCB was dominant in that contest, with Chris Gayle at the apex of his power, blasting RR’s attack as RCB won by 9 wickets.
2012
In the 2012 season, it was very clear from the two contests how conditions played a big role. In Bengaluru, RR achieved a stunning win by 59 runs over a home side that was not expecting it, as Ajinkya Rahane scored a fluent century, one of the earliest signs of his class. But when they did play the second contest in Jaipur, RCB found a way to respond and win by 46 runs, AB de Villiers was prominent in that contest.
2013 – 2014
2013 and 2014 continued with a back-and-forth in terms of rivalry. With both teams often using home conditions to their advantage, but 2014 was different as RR won both matches against RCB, including the time we met in the UAE, because the first leg of the season was played completely abroad. We also began to see the influence of some players such as Sanju Samson, who seemed to be growing in his performances in those contests, and so the next chapter for RR began.
2015
Then came 2015, a season that added real playoff weight to this rivalry. During the league stage, the teams shared results, but the real highlight came in the Eliminator at Pune. On a big night, RCB crushed RR by 71 runs, with AB de Villiers dazzling and the bowlers backing him up. It was a statement victory that knocked RR out of the tournament and established RCB as the superior side in crunch situations.
Transitional Years (2016–2019)
After getting suspended for two years (2016-2017), the rivalry took a backseat. When RR came back in 2018, they did so with a bang against RCB.
2018
In that season, RR beat RCB in both matches. In Bengaluru, Sanju Samson played one of the best innings ever in IPL—a fabulous unbeaten 92 off just 45 balls, brilliantly striking with elegant one moment and brutal the next. In Jaipur, when Shreyas Gopal spun his magic, picking up 4 for 16, dismantling RCB, and RR won by 30 runs. After a rest, it seemed RR were going to continue troubling their southern rivals.
2019
2019 was different; RR managed to win the first match by 7 wickets in Jaipur. In that match, once again, it’s fair to say Shreyas Gopal made the difference. The second match in Bengaluru was called off due to rain after only a few overs.
Recent Rivalries (2020–2025)
2020
The 2020 season, held entirely in the UAE because of the pandemic, had shifted the course of the rivalry decisively in favor of RCB. RCB chased down the target for the win by 8 wickets at Abu Dhabi and Virat Kohli played anchor for RCB in yet another chase successfully by 7 wickets in Dubai. That was how quickly the RR batting firepower had found no answers.
2021
2021 was a further year of RCB dominance. Devdutt Padikkal scored a glorious century while at the Wankhede in Mumbai and RCB destroyed RR by 10 wickets. In the reverse fixture in Dubai, Glen Maxwell put in a match-winning all-round performance and RCB won (again) by 7 wickets. RCB was now on a powerful streak against RR.
2022
However, the balance of the rivalry was once again restored in 2022. In the league stages, both teams won once each, but it got interesting in the playoff cricket. In Qualifier 2, Rajasthan Royals came out on a vengeance. Jos Buttler played one of the greatest IPL play-off innings, getting 106 off 60 balls to help chase down the Royal Challengers Bangalore total single-handedly. RR won the match by 7 wickets and ultimately knocked out RCB. At the same time, RR showcased that they could also perform in high-pressure situations.
2023
The 2023 season was RCB’s revenge. In the first game in Bengaluru, it was a nail-biting finish and RCB won by 7 runs. But the match in Jaipur was a washout. RCB bowled RR out for a humiliating 59 runs and won by a whopping 112 runs, which happened to be one of the largest winning margins in IPL history. A match where it illustrated how brutal RCB could be when their bowling came together.
2024
In 2024, RR retaliated once again. RR won both matches, their Eliminator match, where Yashasvi Jaiswal & Shimron Hetmyer led them to a 4-wicket victory, was crucial. RCB repeated their pattern of inconsistency in important matches, whilst RR demonstrated a great deal of character in pressing for victory.
2025
Then came 2025, when the pendulum swung once again. RCB began strongly against RR, winning both of their contests. In their fixture in Jaipur, RCB easily won by 9 wickets, led by Virat Kohli, who secured the chase for the team. In their challenge in Bengaluru, RCB held their nerves in a close contest, which they won by 11 runs. As it stands, RCB seems to have regained at least an intuitive upper hand.
Read More: Pakistan National Cricket Team vs India National Cricket Team Match Scorecard
Records & Highlights
Over time, this rivalry has also seen multiple records being broken:
- Highest team total by RR: 217/4 in 2012.
- Highest team total by RCB: 205/5 in 2025.
- Best Bowling for RR: Shreyas Gopal’s 4-16 in 2018
- Best Bowling for RCB: 5-5 by Anil Kumble in 2009
- Best Individual Innings: Jos Buttler – 106* (2022 playoffs) and Virat Kohli – 113* (2024).
- Largest Winning Margin: RCB by 112 runs in 2023 Jaipur.
Trends and Turning Points
This rivalry’s unpredictability also lends itself to a unique kind of competition. RR was excellent early on and RCB ended up taking charge in the 2010s. And the rivalry has had its bursts of momentum, etc. Hardly one team can seize control for long.
- Home-field advantage has mattered. Jaipur provided an advantage to RR. Bengaluru provided an advantage to RCB. But then we have neutral venues, which tend to throw a wrench into things (South Africa 2009 and UAE 2020).
- All of the knockout match results are different, either RCB’s 71-run Eliminator victory vs RR in 2015 or RR’s playoff win over RCB in 2022.
- Star power played a big role in this rivalry: Watson, Gayle, Kohli, De Villiers, Samson, Buttler, Jaiswal – Every decade has had its stars.
- Momentum surges tend to be short-lived too. RCB was the better side in 2020-21, RR struck again in 2022, RCB reclaimed momentum all the way back in 2023, RR answered again in 2024, and then a strong start for RCB in 2025.
Memorable Matches to Remember
- 2008 (Bangalore): Shane Watson’s all-round brilliance sees RR win the very first clash.
- 2009 (Cape Town): Anil Kumble’s magical 5/5 demolishes RR.
- 2015 Eliminator (Pune): RCB demolish RR by 71 runs in a knockout match.
- 2018 (Bangalore & Jaipur): Samson’s 92* and Gopal’s 4/16 give RR a double over RCB.
- 2022 Qualifier 2: Buttler’s 106* knocks RCB out of the playoffs.
- 2023 (Jaipur): RCB’s 112-run victory – one of the heaviest in IPL history.
Conclusion: Looking Ahead for RCB vs RR Rivalry
The rivalry is poised nicely going into 2025. RCB may have won more matches, but RR has delivered in dull playoff matches. We have had some high drama, big runs, and some careers that have been defined by this fixture and it shows no sign of ending.
Going forward, a lot will depend on RCB finally being able to convert dominance into trophies, and RR’s ability to keep producing match-winners like Buttler, Samson, and Jaiswal. One thing is for sure: fans will be guaranteed a contest worth the price of admission when RCB and RR play each other.
