RCB lead the RCB vs RR head to head record 17-14 across 34 matches (3 no results) in IPL history. This is one of the IPL’s most evenly contested rivalries, running since the very first season in 2008. It features the highest run-scorer in this fixture (Virat Kohli with 896 runs), the inaugural IPL champions, and a 2024 Eliminator that crushed RCB’s playoff hopes.
With Sanju Samson traded from RR to CSK and Ravindra Jadeja returning to RR for IPL 2026, this rivalry loses one of its defining characters while gaining another. Riyan Parag takes over as RR captain, and defending champions RCB enter as the stronger side for the first time in years.
RCB vs RR Head to Head: Overall Record
| Category | RCB | RR |
|---|---|---|
| Matches Played | 34 | 34 |
| Wins | 17 | 14 |
| No Result | 3 | 3 |
| Highest Score | 205/5 | 217 |
| Lowest Score | 70 | 58 |
RCB’s 17 wins from 34 matches gives them a narrow but clear advantage. This lead has been built primarily during the 2015-2023 phase when RCB’s star-studded batting lineup regularly overpowered RR. However, RR fought back in 2024 by winning both encounters, including the Eliminator that ended RCB’s season.
RR’s 59 all out in Jaipur in 2023 remains one of the most shocking collapses in IPL history and their lowest score against RCB. RCB won that match by a massive 112 runs, their biggest victory in this rivalry.
League Stage vs Playoff Record
| Format | Matches | RCB Wins | RR Wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| League Stage | 31 | 17 | 11 + 3 NR |
| Playoffs | 3 | 1 | 2 |
Another rivalry where RCB’s knockout weakness is fully exposed. RR have beaten RCB in 2 playoff encounters and RCB beat RR in Eliminator of 2015 IPL.
| Year | Match | Venue | Winner | Key Performance |
| 2024 | Eliminator | Ahmedabad | RR | R. Ashwin (2/19) & RR’s disciplined chase |
| 2022 | Qualifier 2 | Ahmedabad | RR | Jos Buttler (106* off 60 balls) |
| 2015 | Eliminator | Pune | RCB | AB de Villiers (66) & Mandeep Singh (54*) |
This mirrors RCB’s problem against SRH (0-3 in playoffs). Until RCB finally won the title in 2025, their inability to beat RR and SRH in knockouts was one of the franchise’s defining frustrations.
Venue-Wise Head to Head Breakdown
Here is Venue-Wise Performances of both Teams:
M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
From 10 matches at Chinnaswamy), the record reads RCB 4, RR 4, 2 NR. Dead even. RCB’s most recent win at home came in Match 42 of IPL 2025 when Kohli (70) and Hazlewood (4/33) combined to break RCB’s home duck for the season. Before that, RR had won at Chinnaswamy in 2024.
Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
From 10 matches in Jaipur), the record is perfectly split at RR 5, RCB 5). Jaipur has produced the rivalry’s most extreme results: RCB’s 112-run win (RR 59 all out in 2023) and Jos Buttler’s unbeaten 106 in the 2022 Qualifier 2 that sent RR to the final.
Neutral Venues
The remaining 14 matches at neutral venues (UAE, South Africa, Maharashtra neutral grounds) have gone RCB 8, RR 5, 1 NR). RCB’s neutral-venue dominance has been the primary driver of their overall lead in this rivalry.
| Venue | Matches | RCB Wins | RR Wins | NR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinnaswamy, Bengaluru | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| Sawai Mansingh, Jaipur | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| Neutral / Other | 14 | 8 | 5 | 1 |
RCB vs RR: Recent Match Results (2022–2025)
| # | Year | Venue | Winner | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2022 | Wankhede (neutral) | RCB | Karthik 44*, Shahbaz 45; 4-wkt win |
| 2 | 2022 Q2 | Ahmedabad | RR | Buttler 106*; RR won by 7 wkts |
| 3 | 2023 | Jaipur | RCB | RR 59 all out; RCB won by 112 runs |
| 4 | 2024 | Jaipur | RR | RR won by 6 wkts; chased 184 |
| 5 | 2024 Elim | Ahmedabad | RR | RR 174/6; RCB eliminated |
| 6 | 2025 | Jaipur | RCB | Salt 65, Kohli 62*; 9-wkt win |
| 7 | 2025 | Bengaluru | RCB | RCB 205/5; Kohli 70, Hazlewood 4/33 |
RR won 3 of 4 meetings from the 2022 Qualifier through IPL 2024, establishing a period of dominance that included knocking RCB out of the playoffs twice. But RCB hit back in 2025 with a double over RR, winning both encounters convincingly. The 9-wicket win in Jaipur was particularly dominant, with Salt (65) and Kohli (62*) chasing 174 in just 17.3 overs.
Top 3 Most Memorable RCB vs RR Encounters
Here are Top Memorable Matches from RCB vs RR Rivalry:
1. IPL 2022 Qualifier 2, Ahmedabad: Buttler’s Century Sends RR to the Final
The 2022 Qualifier 2 at the Narendra Modi Stadium saw Jos Buttler play one of the great IPL playoff innings. RCB posted 157/8), a competitive total on a tricky surface. But Buttler had other ideas. His unbeaten 106 off 60 balls (10 fours, 6 sixes) demolished RCB’s bowling attack, and RR chased it down with 7 wickets and 11 balls to spare.
For RCB, it was another chapter in their painful knockout history. For Buttler, it capped off the greatest single-season batting performance in IPL playoff history. RR went on to reach the final, their first since 2008.
2. IPL 2023, Jaipur: RR Collapse to 59 All Out
On May 14, 2023, RCB produced their most dominant bowling performance in this rivalry. At the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Glenn Maxwell (54 off 33) and Faf du Plessis (55 off 44) guided RCB to 171/5). Then RCB’s bowlers unleashed chaos.
Wayne Parnell (3/10) ripped through RR’s top order in the powerplay, removing Buttler, Samson, and Joe Root cheaply. Michael Bracewell and Karn Sharma mopped up the rest as RR were bowled out for just 59, the third-lowest total in IPL history. RCB won by a massive 112 runs), their biggest-ever victory margin against RR. The win kept RCB alive in the 2023 playoff race.
3. IPL 2025 Match 42, Bengaluru: Hazlewood’s Death-Overs Masterclass
This was RCB’s first home win of IPL 2025 after three losses at Chinnaswamy. Virat Kohli (70 off 42) and Devdutt Padikkal (50 off 27) put on a 95-run partnership to push RCB to 205/5. RR’s chase was cruising at 177/6 with Dhruv Jurel (47) hitting 22 runs off a single Bhuvneshwar Kumar over.
Then Josh Hazlewood delivered one of the great death-bowling spells. He dismissed Jurel and Jofra Archer on consecutive deliveries, finishing with 4/33). RR collapsed from 177/6 to 194/9), losing by 11 runs. Kohli lifted Hazlewood off his feet in celebration. It was the moment that reignited RCB’s 2025 title charge.
Key Players in the RCB vs RR Rivalry
Top Run-Scorers
| Player | Team | Runs | Notable | 2026 Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | RCB | 896 | Most runs in rivalry | RCB |
| AB de Villiers | RCB | 488 | Iconic middle-order | Retired |
| Sanju Samson | RR | 430 | RR’s soul for 11 years | CSK (traded) |
| Jos Buttler | RR | 420 | 106* in 2022 Q2 | GT |
| Ajinkya Rahane | RR | 347 | RR’s early-era anchor | KKR (captain) |
Virat Kohli is the undisputed king of this rivalry with 896 runs (764 pre-2025 + 62* and 70 in IPL 2025). His consistency against RR across 17 seasons is remarkable. In 2025, he scored two fifties in two matches against them, both in winning causes.
Sanju Samson’s 430 runs came during his decade-long stint as RR’s heartbeat. His trade to CSK means this rivalry loses its most emotionally invested RR batter. Jos Buttler’s 420 runs include the 2022 Qualifier masterclass that defined his IPL legacy.
Top Wicket-Takers
| Player | Team | Wickets | Notable | 2026 Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yuzvendra Chahal | RCB/RR | 24 | Most wkts in rivalry | PBKS |
| Harshal Patel | RCB | 17 | Death-overs specialist | SRH |
| Shreyas Gopal | RR | 14 | Leg-spin threat | CSK |
| Mohammed Siraj | RCB | 12 | Powerplay enforcer | GT |
Yuzvendra Chahal leads with 24 wickets), having played for both sides in this rivalry (RCB 2014-2021, RR 2022-2024, now PBKS). His leg-spin has been the single most effective weapon in RCB-RR clashes. Harshal Patel’s 17 wickets came primarily through his death-overs mastery during RCB’s 2021-2023 era.
What IPL 2026 Brings to This Rivalry
Here are some Key Points that fans can Consider before IPL 2026:
RCB’s IPL 2026 Squad (Defending Champions)
Rajat Patidar captains with the championship core intact: Virat Kohli (657 runs in 2025), Phil Salt, Josh Hazlewood, Krunal Pandya, Tim David, Jacob Bethell, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar). 17 players retained from the title-winning squad. They won all 7 away games in 2025 and open IPL 2026 against SRH on March 28 at Chinnaswamy.
RR’s IPL 2026 Squad
Riyan Parag takes over as captain with Kumar Sangakkara continuing as head coach. The squad has been dramatically reshaped. Sanju Samson was traded to CSK in exchange for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran). Jadeja returns to the franchise where he started his IPL career in 2008.
However, Sam Curran has been ruled out for the entire IPL 2026 season due to injury, a significant blow to RR’s all-round balance. The batting remains explosive: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shimron Hetmyer, Dhruv Jurel, and teenage prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi). The bowling features Jofra Archer, Ravi Bishnoi (acquired from LSG), and Tushar Deshpande). Jadeja and Bishnoi form a potent spin partnership.
RR finished 9th in IPL 2025 with just 4 wins from 14 matches). They open their 2026 campaign against CSK on March 30 in Guwahati), which means Samson will face his former franchise on day three of the new season. Parag captained RR in 8 matches during Samson’s 2025 injury absence, winning just 2.
The Samson Trade: How It Reshapes This Rivalry
Sanju Samson represented RR for 11 seasons across two stints, scoring 430 runs against RCB and captaining the franchise from 2021 to 2025. He was the team’s emotional anchor and most consistent run-scorer. Parag called him “irreplaceable” and put him in the same breath as Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
For this rivalry specifically, Samson’s departure means RR lose the batter who had the most experience against RCB’s bowling attack. In return, Jadeja’s all-round abilities (batting, bowling, and fielding) add a dimension RR previously lacked. But replacing Samson’s match-winning instinct in high-pressure chases will be RR’s biggest challenge against RCB in 2026.
Suggested Reads:
Verdict: RCB Leads Rivalry With 17 Wins Over RR’s 14 Wins in Rivalry Currently
RCB lead 17-14) and their 2025 double over RR put clear daylight in the overall record. But RR’s 3-0 playoff record against RCB is the asterisk that keeps this rivalry interesting. Every time these two teams have met in a knockout, RR have won. That includes Buttler’s 2022 century and the 2024 Eliminator.
For IPL 2026, RCB are the clear favourites. They have a settled squad, a championship mentality, and the IPL’s most prolific batter in Kohli who averages heavily against RR. RR, meanwhile, are rebuilding under a 23-year-old captain, dealing with Curran’s season-ending injury, and trying to fill the Samson-shaped hole in their batting order.
But RR have always been the IPL’s great romantics. The 2008 inaugural champions, the franchise that gave us Shane Warne’s fairy tale, Buttler’s 2022 playoff run, and Jaiswal’s fearless hitting. Writing them off against RCB has historically been a mistake. This rivalry is far from settled.
