Explore the full RCB vs RR IPL timeline rivalry — head-to-head records, iconic moments, key players, and stats from 2008 to 2025. Updated for 2026. Ever wondered why RCB vs RR always feels like more than just a cricket match? Because it genuinely is.
Two teams. Two completely different identities. One rivalry that has delivered drama, heartbreak, and jaw-dropping cricket since the very first season of the IPL in 2008. Royal Challengers Bengaluru bring the star power and passionate fan base. Rajasthan Royals bring the smart cricket, the underdog grit, and the annoying habit of winning when it matters most.
This is not just a head-to-head stat page. This is the full story — match by match, moment by moment — of one of the most competitive fixtures in IPL history.
How It All Started: The 2008 Beginning
The IPL was brand new. Nobody knew what to expect. And fittingly, RCB and RR wrote the very first chapter of their rivalry at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on April 26, 2008.
Rajasthan Royals won by seven wickets. Shane Watson starred with both bat and ball — scoring an unbeaten 61 off 41 balls while also picking up 2/20 with the ball. The tone was set early: RR were not going to be intimidated by RCB’s home crowd or their bigger names.
Just weeks later, RR beat RCB again at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur — this time by 65 runs. Graeme Smith smashed 75 off 49 balls, while Shane Warne and Sohail Tanvir each picked up three wickets. That win remains RR’s biggest victory over RCB in terms of runs.
The kicker? Rajasthan Royals went on to win the inaugural IPL title that year, defeating Chennai Super Kings in the final. A champion’s start to a great rivalry.
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Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders Timeline
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The Early Years (2008–2013): Finding Their Feet
In the formative seasons, both franchises were still building their identities.
RCB had famous names — but also famous inconsistency. They reached the 2009 IPL final under Anil Kumble’s captaincy only to lose to Deccan Chargers. RR, meanwhile, stayed true to their philosophy: smart auctions, young talent, and disciplined team cricket.
The 2009 season took the IPL to South Africa due to India’s general elections. In Centurion, RR beat RCB again — by seven wickets, reaching their target with five overs to spare. Amit Singh took 4/19. These early years firmly established RR as the slightly smarter, slightly luckier side in this fixture.
That said, RCB slowly found their rhythm. As Virat Kohli grew from promising youngster to generational talent, so did RCB’s consistency and competitiveness in this fixture.
The Virat Kohli Era: Dominance Meets Drama (2014–2021)
This is where the rivalry truly exploded.
Virat Kohli became RCB’s full-time captain in 2013 and transformed the side. He also became the single most destructive batter in the history of this fixture. Across all his appearances against RR, Kohli scored 764 runs — the most by any player in the RCB vs RR head-to-head.
2016 — The Season of the Century
The 2016 IPL season was Kohli at his absolute peak. He scored 973 runs that season — still the highest individual tally in a single IPL season — and won the Orange Cap. RCB reached the final but lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad by 8 runs. Against RR that year, AB de Villiers produced one of the most brutal innings in IPL history: an unbeaten 129 off just 52 balls. That remains the highest individual score in RCB vs RR matches.
2018 — RR’s Big Day at Chinnaswamy
If de Villiers’ 129 was RCB’s finest moment in this fixture, 2018 was RR’s answer. Sanju Samson smashed an unbeaten 92 off just 45 balls — including 10 sixes — as Rajasthan posted 217/4, their highest-ever total against RCB. Shreyas Gopal chipped in with 2/22, and RR won by 19 runs. That remains the highest team total in RCB vs RR matches.
2019 — The Shreyas Gopal Hat-Trick
Some matches live forever in cricket memory. In 2019, Shreyas Gopal — a leg-spinner from Rajasthan — took a hat-trick against RCB. Against a batting lineup that included Kohli, de Villiers, and some of the best batters in the world, Gopal removed three wickets in three balls. RCB fans still have nightmares about it.
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The 2022 Qualifier: Jos Buttler’s Statement Night
Fast forward to IPL 2022, and this rivalry reached its biggest stage.
Both teams met in Qualifier 2 at Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad — with a place in the IPL final on the line. Prasidh Krishna and Obed McCoy bowled RCB out for 157/8. Then Jos Buttler walked in.
What followed was nothing short of stunning. Buttler scored an unbeaten 106 off 60 balls — his fourth century of that same season. He hit 10 boundaries and six sixes, taking RR to victory with 11 balls to spare. RR reached the IPL final for only the second time in their history. RCB went home.
Buttler’s 106* against RCB in that qualifier is the highest individual score by a Rajasthan Royals batter in this fixture.
IPL 2024: Kohli Shines But RR Still Win
By 2024, Virat Kohli was on one of the great late-career runs of form. Against RR in April 2024 at Jaipur, he scored 113 off 72 balls — his eighth IPL century. Beautiful cricket.
RR still won. Kohli was the lone hand for RCB as Buttler and Sanju Samson put on a 148-run second-wicket stand. Buttler made 100 off 58 balls in his 100th IPL appearance. RR won by six wickets with five balls to spare.
Later in the same season, in the IPL 2024 Eliminator at Ahmedabad, RR beat RCB again — this time by four wickets. RCB had won six matches in a row going into that game. RR ended the streak.
IPL 2025: RCB Turn the Tables — Then Win the Title
IPL 2025 was a massive year for RCB.
The two teams met first at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on April 13. RCB chased 174 with ease, winning by nine wickets. Then in the return fixture at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on April 24, RCB scored 205/5 and restricted RR to 194/9 — winning by 11 runs.
RCB swept both league matches against RR in 2025. And then, at the end of the season, they did something that had eluded them for 17 long years: they won the IPL title, defeating Punjab Kings in the final.
The wait is over. RCB are champions — finally.
Head-to-Head Record: Where Does It Stand?
Here’s a clean summary of the overall RCB vs RR head-to-head record across all IPL seasons, as of May 2025:
| Stat | Figure |
| Total matches played | 34 |
| RCB wins | 17 |
| RR wins | 14 |
| No result | 3 |
| Highest team total | 217/4 (RR, 2018) |
| Lowest team total | 58 (RR) |
| Highest individual score | 129* AB de Villiers (RCB, 2016) |
| Most runs in fixture | Virat Kohli – 764 runs (RCB) |
RCB lead the head-to-head 17–14. But numbers don’t tell the full story. RR’s wins have often come at crucial moments — playoffs, eliminators, and crunch games — making the scoreline feel much closer than it looks.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings Timeline
Key Players Who Defined This Rivalry
Virat Kohli (RCB): The undisputed top run-scorer in RCB vs RR matches with 764 runs. His centuries, his intensity, and his love for the big occasion have produced some unforgettable innings in this fixture.
AB de Villiers (RCB): His 129* off 52 balls in 2016 is the highest individual score in this fixture. When de Villiers was at his best, no total was safe.
Jos Buttler (RR): His century in the 2022 Qualifier 2 was one of the great knockout-stage innings in IPL history. He also scored 100 in his 100th IPL appearance against RCB in 2024.
Shane Watson (RR): The man who started it all — all-round brilliance in the very first meeting between these sides in 2008, and a constant thorn in RCB’s side in the early years.
Sanju Samson (RR): His unbeaten 92 off 45 balls in 2018 powered RR to their highest total in this fixture. A match-winner when he fires.
Shreyas Gopal (RR): That 2019 hat-trick against one of cricket’s most star-studded batting lineups deserves a permanent place in IPL folklore.
Venue Breakdown: Who Rules Where
The Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur has hosted the most meetings between these two sides. Across 10 encounters at that venue, the teams have shared spoils — five wins each. Perfectly even. Perfectly tense.
At M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, RCB generally enjoy a home advantage — the steep boundaries and partisan crowd suit their explosive batting. But RR have stolen important wins there too.
At neutral venues, it has always been a coin flip. The 2022 Qualifier at Ahmedabad is proof enough of that.
RCB vs RR: Why This Rivalry Matters in 2026
In 2026, both franchises head into the IPL as transformed entities.
RCB — now IPL champions after their 2025 title win — are no longer the nearly team. They are genuine contenders. The franchise was acquired for a record $1.78 billion in 2026, making it the highest-valued franchise in IPL history. Rajat Patidar leads the side, and Andy Flower serves as head coach.
RR, meanwhile, were also sold in 2026 — to a group led by Kal Somani and Rob Walton — marking a new ownership era for the Jaipur franchise. Their focus on youth and smart recruitment remains unchanged.
When these two teams meet next, the stakes will be high. The history is rich. And the cricket, as always, will be hard to look away from.
Stay updated with RCB vs RR fixtures as the IPL 2026 season unfolds.
Q: What is the head-to-head record between RCB and RR in IPL?
As of May 2025, RCB have won 17, and RR have won 14 of their 34 meetings in the IPL. Three matches ended with no result.
Q: Which player has scored the most runs in RCB vs RR matches?
Virat Kohli holds this record with 764 runs scored across all RCB vs RR meetings in the IPL.
Q: What is the highest individual score in an RCB vs RR match?
AB de Villiers holds this record with an unbeaten 129 off 52 balls, scored for RCB in the 2016 season.
Q: Has there been a hat-trick in RCB vs RR games?
Yes. Shreyas Gopal, playing for Rajasthan Royals, took a hat-trick against RCB in the 2019 season — one of the most memorable bowling spells in this fixture’s history.
Q: What is the highest team total in RCB vs RR matches?
Rajasthan Royals scored 217/4 against RCB in 2018 at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Sanju Samson’s unbeaten 92 off 45 balls was the centerpiece of that innings.
Q: Have RCB and RR met in the IPL playoffs?
Yes — twice. The most significant was the 2022 IPL Qualifier 2, where Jos Buttler’s unbeaten 106 took RR into the final. RR also beat RCB in the 2024 IPL Eliminator.
Q: Did RCB ever win the IPL title?
Yes. RCB won their first-ever IPL title in 2025, defeating Punjab Kings in the final — ending a 17-year wait.
Q: Which venue has hosted the most RCB vs RR matches?
Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur has hosted the most encounters between the two sides, with both teams winning five matches each at that ground.
Final Word
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Rajasthan Royals timeline is a study in contrasts. One team built on glamour, power, and passion. The other built on intelligence, youth, and tactical precision. And yet, every time they meet, the gap closes completely.
From Shane Watson’s all-round brilliance in 2008, to AB de Villiers’ 129* in 2016, to Buttler’s Qualifier 2 masterclass, to Kohli’s century that still wasn’t enough in 2024 — this rivalry has given cricket fans memories that will last a lifetime.
In 2025, RCB finally got their title. In 2026, both clubs enter a new ownership era with fresh energy. The next chapter of this rivalry is about to be written.
Bookmark this page — because the story is far from over.
