Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Rajasthan Royals Timeline: Complete IPL Rivalry History (2008-2026)
royal challengers bengaluru vs rajasthan royals
STORY UPDATED AT 10:30 AM, Oct 03, 2023 The clashes between the two franchises have always made for riveting Saturday night theatre, all these years since IPL 2008 to 2026, be it last-ball finals or record-breaking performances here and there.
RCB are slightly ahead in the head-to-head record and the 2026 IPL season is a serious candidate for the lowest point ever. But they will be all too aware, from painful experience, that Rajasthan Royals can do a number on them at particular times. You have data until October 2023, So let us dive into the detailed RCB vs RR Timeline with their head to head record, moments that changed and remarkable performances.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Rajasthan Royals Head-to-Head Record (2008-2026)
| Statistic | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Rajasthan Royals |
| Matches Played | 35 | 35 |
| Wins | 17 | 15 |
| No Result | 3 | 3 |
| Highest Team Score | 205 | 217 |
| Lowest Team Score | 70 | 58 |
Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Rajasthan Royals Timeline
2008 – Rajasthan Royals Dominate the First Meeting
We all know about the history of rivalry between these two teams, going back as far as the very first season of IPL.
- RR thrashed RCB by 7 wickets at Bengaluru
- The batting and bowling hero of this match was Shane Watson.
- Later, Warne led Rajasthan to the inaugural title of IPL.
This victory allowed RR to be dominant over Bengaluru from the beginning.
2009 – RCB Fight Back
The RCB team took a gigantic stride forward during the 2009 IPL, which was hosted in South Africa.
Highlights:
- RCB had previously defeated RR in the league stage.
- Bengaluru had its season reach the IPL Final under Kumble’s captaincy.
- These were accomplished consistently by the likes of Jacques Kallis and Ross Taylor.
Rajasthan was still in it, but slowly RCB started to claw their way back.
2010-2012 – Evenly Matched Battles
In wins, they traded them year by year from 2010 to 2012.
Key moments included:
- Big Hitting From Yusuf Pathan For RR
- Now RCB had a batting leader too, in Virat Kohli.
- More of those games were very tight going into that final over.
It was one of those matches, neither team able to get total control
2013 – Kohli Begins Taking Control
The 2013 season of IPL saw the commencement of Virat Kohli as a celebrity batter and commercial hype.
Highlights:
- Kohli played several match-winning innings.
- Chris Gayle went on his savage hitting spree as an opening pair.
- So here are the points with which Shane Watson and Ajinkya Rahane Are The Rajasthan Go To Men
RCB held a slight edge over the course of this phase.
2014 – Close Finishes Continue
The rivalry features are exciting contests.
Important moments:
- High-scoring matches became common.
- Class and finishing touch : AB de Villiers.
- Rajasthan have gone on to defend totals lower than 130 on multiple occasions.
2015 – First Playoff Clash
IPL 2015 Eliminator was another of the high points in the rivalry.
Eliminator
- RCB defeated RR
- Venue: Pune
- Image: Vivo; IPL 2018 | AB de Villiers: The Man With the Match-Winning Knock
- They did what they needed to do and advanced further in the playoffs.
To this day it remains, one of the more memorable knockout dates between the sides
2016 – Kohli’s Historic IPL Season
On a side note, Virat Kohli had THE IPL season of all time.
Against Rajasthan:
- Kohli continued scoring heavily.
- AB de Villiers also played a superb role.
- RCB reached the IPL Final.
Kohli had ended the season with 973 runs, a record at that point
2017-2018 – Rajasthan Return
Following their suspension, Rajasthan Royals returned in 2018.
New stars emerged:
- Jos Buttler
- Sanju Samson
- Ben Stokes
RCB relied on:
- Virat Kohli
- AB de Villiers
- Yuzvendra Chahal
The contests became much more balanced.
2019 – Rajasthan Pull Off Exciting Victory
RR’s successful chases – The season’s best match.
Highlights:
- Jos Buttler played aggressively.
- Steve Smith anchored the innings.
- Rajasthan chased under pressure.
2020 – UAE Season
IPL shifted to UAE post COVID 19 pandemic
Key moments:
- Rahul Tewatia made his own place as the most famous U-turn innings in IPL.
- Rajasthan won their previous match against Punjab after putting up an impressive chase and came into the RCB fixtures with great confidence.
- Those six were traded as Bengaluru and Rajasthan split the league encounters.
Then there were the neutral venues that made contests more competitive.
2021 – Harshal Patel’s Bowling Brilliance
RCB impressed with bowling.
Highlights:
- Purple Cap winner: Harshal Patel
- RCB’s middle order was strengthened by Glenn Maxwell.
- Rajasthan continued to do what they had been doing all season with the bat thanks to Sanju Samson.
2022 – Buttler Dominates
Jos Buttler enjoyed a prolific IPL.
Important clashes:
- Throughout the tournament, Buttler had scored in abundance.
- Rajasthan reached the IPL Final.
- Bengaluru reached the playoffs.
Qualifier 2
Rajasthan Royals defeated RCB comfortably.
A century from Buttler ended Bengaluru’s IPL 2022 campaign, and also proved to be a watershed moment in this rivalry.
2023 – High-Scoring Encounters
Fans witnessed another run-fest.
Key performers:
RCB
- Virat Kohli
- Faf du Plessis
- Glenn Maxwell
RR
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Jos Buttler
- Sanju Samson
Both teams crossed 170-plus totals regularly.
2024 – Eliminator Revenge for Rajasthan
Well this is just one cool chapter added by IPL 2024 Eliminator.
Highlights:
- Rajasthan Royals defeated RCB.
- Rovman Powell and Shimron Hetmyer added some runs.
- RCB bid goodbye to the season despite having a stunning late run in the league phase.
The RR showed once again that they must never be written off in knockout cricket.
2025 – RCB Finally Break Through
Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2025 We were the most formidable force.
Highlights:
- Virat Kohli remained consistent.
- Rajat Patidar led confidently.
- An extra bowler in Josh Hazlewood
- And RCB eventually lifted the first-ever trophy of that season.
Those performances against Rajasthan were a reflection of that versatility.
2026 – Another High-Scoring Classic
The latest chapter arrived during IPL 2026.
Match Summary
- RCB: 201/8
- RR: 202/4
- Rajasthan Royals won by 6 wickets
Young sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Dhruv Jurel powered Rajasthan’s successful chase after RCB had recovered through Rajat Patidar’s half-century and late hitting.
Memorable Matches in the Rivalry
| Year | Match | Winner |
| 2008 | First-ever meeting | Rajasthan Royals |
| 2015 | Eliminator | Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
| 2016 | Kohli masterclass | Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
| 2022 | Qualifier 2 | Rajasthan Royals |
| 2024 | Eliminator | Rajasthan Royals |
| 2026 | High-scoring thriller | Rajasthan Royals |
Highest Individual Performers
Most Runs
Several legendary batters have dominated this rivalry:
- Virat Kohli
- AB de Villiers
- Jos Buttler
- Sanju Samson
- Faf du Plessis
Virat Kohli remains the leading run-scorer in RCB vs RR IPL encounters.
Most Wickets
Top wicket-takers include:
- Yuzvendra Chahal (for both franchises across different seasons)
- Harshal Patel
- Shane Watson
- Siddharth Trivedi
- Josh Hazlewood
Biggest Talking Points
Virat Kohli vs Rajasthan Royals
Kohli has consistently delivered against Rajasthan with several match-winning knocks and remains the face of RCB in this rivalry.
Jos Buttler’s Match-Winning Innings
Buttler has repeatedly troubled Bengaluru, especially during the 2022 playoffs.
AB de Villiers’ Finishing Ability
His breathtaking innings in the 2015 Eliminator remains among the best performances in RCB vs RR history.
Knockout Drama
Unlike many IPL rivalries, RCB vs RR has featured multiple playoff meetings, making every contest even more significant.
RCB vs RR Head-to-Head by Venue
| Venue | Better Record |
| M. Chinnaswamy Stadium | Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
| Sawai Mansingh Stadium | Rajasthan Royals |
| Neutral Venues | Slight advantage to RCB |
Neutral venues have produced closely fought contests, with RCB holding a narrow edge overall.
Why This Rivalry Is Special
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Rajasthan Royals rivalry has some bits and pieces which can make it a little more interesting –
- Close overall head-to-head record.
- Numerous last-over thrillers.
- Legendary players on both sides.
- Multiple IPL playoff encounters.
- It’s a blend of crafty veterans and fascinating young talent.
A rivalry where RCB and RR have gone tit for tat over the years, one which hasn’t been a lopsided affair as these two teams made sure they beat each other on opposite days every season to ensure none of them played matches that turned out into an exact science.
Conclusion
Timeline: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Rajasthan Royals (2008-2026): One of the most evenly matched clashes in IPL. While RCB currently lead in the head-to-head 17-15 with three no-results, Rajasthan Royals have outperformed their opponents over critical knockout games – such as the 2024 Eliminator and the 2022 Qualifier 2.
Despite the likes of Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal in this rivalry still being interesting to the IPL fans (not forgetting Rajat Patidar or a new kid on the block called Vaibhav Sooryavanshi along with allrounders), Analogously, the future encounters between both franchises where RCB and RR are involved will surely serve us with tasteful memories and last-ball finishes for times to come.
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