The Indian Premier League (IPL) has always been a hub of controversy, outstanding cricket, and thrill. One of the many rivalries formed during the tournament occurs between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Rajasthan Royals (RR). The RCB and RR rivalry produced some of the gripping screenplays ranging from the launch of Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008 to the present. Over the years they have played against each other at various locations several times, sometimes on the winning end, and a lot of surprising, dramatic matches/outcomes that have kept cricket fans guessing.
This article will provide a history of their IPL matches against each other and reconcile the key dates, school of thought and trends of this cricketing brigade.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Rajasthan Royals Timeline
The Beginning: Harmony of Growth (2008-2010)
The inception of the Hindi film, RCB-RR rivalry began during the inaugural season of IPL in 2008, when five time champions team RCB challenged RR on 26th April 2008 at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, where RR won the match by seven wickets. RCB travelled to RR’s home field, Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur on 17 of May, where RR once again showcased their superiority over their rivals, winning the match by an ample 65 runs, leaving plenty of room for glamour.
2009 marked a small turning point in the rivalry. RCB had a solid victory at Newlands, Cape Town – a neutral overseas venue designated for that season’s tournament – in a 75-run win. However, Rajasthan Royals won at their next meeting at SuperSport Park, Centurion, by 7 wickets.
The 2010 season proved to also have an even rivalry with both claiming wins on their home grounds. RCB managed to win two times: first, by 10 wickets at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, and then by 5 wickets at Sawai Mansingh Stadium. During this period, it was a competitive environment with neither team able to clearly establish superiority over the years.
The Middle Years: Up and Down (2011-2015)
The seasons of 2011 to 2015 provided thrilling and varied results between the two sides. The 2011 season started off slowly for both teams as the match at Bengaluru was abandoned due to weather. However, RCB did take advantage of their second match that year to win by 9 wickets at Jaipur.
In 2012, the results were back-and-forth as Rajasthan Royals beat RCB by 59 runs at Bengaluru but lost by 46 runs at Jaipur, going to show that the rivalry was closely contested.
In 2013, the same trend carried on as for the previous IPL seasons, where RCB and RR have both respectively won one match each, at their home ground where RCB were able to secure a 7 wickets victory in Bengaluru and lose by 4 wickets, they had a narrow experience with RR in Jaipur.
Some of the most exciting match-ups were in 2014, when the season was held outside of India, in the UAE – It was the first time in the IPL history. When RR beat RCB in their first match by 6 wickets at Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi, and then won subsequently at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, we saw the capability of the Royals to adapt and create flexibility to the changes that happened during the league.
2015 was a dramatic season for RCB with a number of important wins, including their match against Rajasthan at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad with a comfortable 9 wickets win, there was also the unpredictability of 2015 with RCB having one “No result” match in Bengaluru and winning the big Eliminator Final against RR in Pune by 71 runs, where every encounter was important that season.
Recent Years: Encounters of Great Intensity with Tactical Play (2018-2025)
In these recent season encounters from 2018 onwards, the match-ups between RCB and RR have also reported different intensity with complex tactical play, to the disappointment in the second stage of the matches, which saw exciting finishes.
In 2018, the Rajasthan Royals managed to wrap up the season by winning both encounters, the first in Bengaluru by 19 runs and the second in Jaipur by 30 runs. It was clear that both times, the Rajasthan Royals were able to defend a total and put pressure on RCB’s ability to bat consistently.
In 2019, the Rajasthan Royals again ended their winning streak (these matches were also RCB is now operating) with a 7-wicket victory in Jaipur. However, one of the encounters at Bengaluru was a “No result,” which is the beauty (and unpredictability) of the game of cricket.
The 2020 IPL season was held in the UAE (due to the pandemic); therefore, these dynamics also changed significantly because the pitches and conditions were different. RCB took full advantage of this fact by winning both matches convincingly; by 8 wickets at Abu Dhabi and 7 wickets at Dubai, this exhibited RCB’s capability to adapt as well as strengthening their power over this historic rivalry.
In 2021, RCB ruled RRs with commanding wins; 10 wickets in Mumbai and 7 wickets in Dubai; this clearly demonstrated a stronger side in this time period.
However, 2022 and 2023 revealed some very notable changes; RR had some significant wins during 2022 during this time, including a large 29-run win in Pune and a significantly thrilling 7-wicket win in the Qualifier Final at Ahmedabad, this proved that RR are very flexible in knockout situations.
In the 2023 matches, RCB fought back strongly, winning by 7 runs at Bengaluru and winning by a staggering 112 runs at Jaipur. This is a historically significant cap victory in this rivalry.
The latest 2024 and 2025 matches maintained the back-and-forth momentum with RR winning the 19th match of 2024 by 6 wickets and beating RCB in the Eliminator Final by 4 wickets in Ahmedabad while RCB won the two matches in 2025 in Jaipur (personally, I thought they would miss out but no – RCB won by 9 wickets) and Bengaluru (another rare indoor match that RCB won by 11 runs).
Trends and observations
Results of matches – For more than 34 matches RCB and RR both teams have had their share of results but neither team has dominated for any period of time. While RR had some early matches, RCB has looked superior in recent years, especially after 2019.
Matches finished closely: Many matches had close margins where both teams have won matches closely, either by 1-run or by 7 runs, or when finishing runs, they have shown in many instances small margins that display the competitiveness of the two teams and the significant pressures on players to perform.
Knockout context: The two sides have played each other in an elimination match (the 2015 Eliminator Final and the 2022 qualifiers Final), in which the match result has always held significant state, the pressure of the match, and the huge possibilities. While RCB enjoyed the comfort of a really significant win in 2015, RR also enjoyed the same comfort of their own knockout match win in 2022.
Weather interruptions: Other game results have been entirely abandoned or some have rained off without a result, which means the randomness of these outcomes now plays an important role in terms of prioritising match results for these trophy matches.
Top Matches: There are some notable points of interest
- 2009 at Newlands: RCB’s 75 run victory in a foreign land was a landmark victory for them as they showed their potential in conditions other than India.
- 2015 The Eliminator: RCB defended 71 runs against Pune showing aplomb under knockout pressure.
- 2023 Jaipur: RCB beat RR by 112 runs – it was one of RCB’s biggest wins in terms of margin, over RR in RCB history.
- 2022 Qualifier: Rajasthan Royals beat RCB by 7 wickets in qualifier, showing they too have deftness at pressure against RCB.
Discussion: A Rivalry Filled with Storylines and Cricketing Drama
The match history between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals demonstrates the continued evolution of IPL cricket. From Rajasthan Royals’ initial two victories against RCB, RCB has become far more of a competitor to RR as RCB has grown more formidable as a team built for IPL, with RCB now appearing to have an even match up with RR. Each match has a storyline filled with tactical decisions, individual brilliance and team determination.
In short, for fans these RCB matches, provided the ultimate in entertainment and spectacle – high scoring matches where both teams provide a lessons on what an IPL match was with the RCB and RR recent examples of functional bowling changes with brilliant moments of cricketing art throughout the match, with variety of stadium venues and conditions both suit to provide the follower sports fans a platform to enjoy the variety of entertainment possible in each match, followed by RCB vs RR, should emerge as one of the most entertaining rivalries in IPL.
As IPL continues to evolve, matches between RCB and RR will, by nature, have lots of memorable moments, inspiring cricket lovers and creating unforgettable moments.
RCB vs RR Head to Head Records
| Total Matches Played | 34 |
| RCB Won and Lost | (17 won) (14 lost) |
| RR Won and Lost | (14 won) (17lost) |
| No Result | 3 |
RCB vs RR in IPL 2025
RR 173/4 (20)
RCB 175/1 (17.3)
- Date & Time: Apr 13, 2025 – 03:30 PM
- Venue: Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
- Result: RCB won by 9 wickets
RCB 205/5 (20)
RR 194/9 (20)
- Date & Time: Apr 24, 2025- 07:30 PM
- Venue: M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
- Result: RCB won by 11 runs
