SRH lead the RCB vs SRH head to head record 14-11 across 26 matches (1 no result) in IPL history. This rivalry started in 2013 when SRH replaced the Deccan Chargers, and it has produced some of the most extreme cricket the IPL has ever seen. An IPL final, the highest team total in tournament history (287/3), and the highest match aggregate in all T20 cricket (549 runs) have all come from this fixture.
Now, the IPL 2026 season opener on March 28 pits defending champions RCB against SRH at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. With Liam Livingstone switching from RCB to SRH, Pat Cummins injured, and Ishan Kishan leading SRH as interim captain, this rivalry enters a new chapter right from ball one of the new season.
RCB vs SRH Head to Head: Overall Record
| Category | RCB | SRH |
|---|---|---|
| Matches Played | 26 | 26 |
| Wins | 11 | 14 |
| No Result | 1 | 1 |
| Highest Score | 262/7 (2024) | 287/3 (2024) |
| Lowest Score | 68 all out | 125 all out |
SRH’s 14 wins from 26 matches gives them a clear edge, but this rivalry is defined less by dominance and more by sheer spectacle. The numbers at the top of this table tell the story: both teams have posted 260+ totals against each other in the same match. When RCB meet SRH, prepare for fireworks.
The Hyderabad franchise has been a consistent thorn in RCB’s side across eras. First as the Deccan Chargers (who beat RCB in the 2009 final), and now as SRH (who beat them in the 2016 final). The psychological edge SRH hold in high-pressure moments against RCB is a recurring theme.
League Stage vs Playoff Record
| Format | Matches | RCB Wins | SRH Wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| League Stage | 23 | 11 | 11 + 1 NR |
| Playoffs / Final | 3 | 0 | 3 |
This is the most damning stat for RCB. In league matches, the record is dead level at 11-11 (with 1 no result). But in knockout cricket, SRH have won all 3 encounters: the 2016 IPL Final (SRH’s maiden title), the 2020 Eliminator, and the 2016 league-stage-adjacent matchup. RCB have never beaten SRH when it truly mattered.
For a franchise that waited 18 years for a title, this playoff hoodoo against SRH was one of the most painful chapters. RCB finally won the IPL in 2025, but their path to the title did not cross SRH in the knockouts.
Venue-Wise Head to Head Breakdown
Here are the Venue Wise Performance of both Teams:
Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad
SRH have hosted RCB 9 times at their home ground. The record reads SRH 6, RCB 3. SRH’s pace-and-spin combination has made Hyderabad a difficult ground for RCB’s batters, particularly in the middle overs where Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Rashid Khan (in his SRH years) were nearly unplayable.
M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
RCB have a slight edge at home: RCB 5, SRH 3, 1 NR from 9 matches at Chinnaswamy. But the abandoned match in 2017 and SRH’s record-breaking 287/3 in 2024 show that Chinnaswamy’s flat track works both ways. SRH smashed the highest-ever IPL total on this ground, with Travis Head’s 102 off 41 balls leading the destruction.
Neutral Venues
The remaining 8 matches at neutral venues (UAE, South Africa, and relocated Indian grounds) have gone SRH 5, RCB 3. The 2020 Eliminator in Abu Dhabi, where Kane Williamson’s composed fifty knocked RCB out, is the most significant neutral-venue encounter.
| Venue | Matches | RCB Wins | SRH Wins | NR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyderabad | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 |
| Bengaluru | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 |
| Neutral / Other | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 |
RCB vs SRH: Recent Match Results (2022–2026)
| # | Year | Venue | Winner | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2022 | Pune (neutral) | SRH | SRH won by 9 wickets |
| 2 | 2022 | Pune (neutral) | RCB | RCB won by 67 runs |
| 3 | 2023 | Bengaluru | RCB | RCB won by 8 wickets |
| 4 | 2024 | Bengaluru | SRH | SRH 287/3; won by 25 runs |
| 5 | 2024 | Bengaluru | RCB | RCB won by 35 runs |
| 6 | 2025 | Lucknow (neutral) | SRH | SRH 231/6; Kishan 94*; 42-run win |
The last 6 encounters have been split 3-3, which is the closest this rivalry has been in recent years. RCB’s 35-run win in Match 41 of IPL 2024 is worth noting: it came during a 6-match losing streak for RCB and sparked the turnaround that ultimately carried them to the 2025 title.
Top 3 Most Memorable RCB vs SRH Encounters
Here are Top 3 most Memorable Matches from RCB vs SRH Rivalry:
1. IPL 2024, Bengaluru: 287/3 and the Night Records Were Obliterated
On April 15, 2024, SRH rewrote the IPL record books at Chinnaswamy. Travis Head smashed a breathtaking 102 off 41 balls), and Heinrich Klaasen followed with 67 off 31). SRH’s 287/3 became the highest team total in IPL history), surpassing their own 277/3 against MI earlier that season.
Even RCB’s response of 262/7 would have been enough to win almost any other IPL match. Dinesh Karthik’s extraordinary 83 off 35 balls almost pulled off the impossible, but RCB fell 25 runs short. The match aggregate of 549 runs set a new record for the highest in any T20 match worldwide. It was carnage, and it was glorious.
2. IPL 2016 Final, Bengaluru: SRH’s Maiden Title at RCB’s Expense
The 2016 IPL Final remains the defining moment in this rivalry. At Chinnaswamy, with Virat Kohli coming off a record-breaking 973-run season and AB de Villiers in devastating form, RCB were heavy favourites. But SRH’s bowling unit, led by Ben Cutting’s all-round display, restricted RCB and won by 8 runs.
For Kohli and RCB, it was heartbreak on the biggest stage. For SRH, it was their maiden IPL title in just their 4th season. KL Rahul later admitted he and Kohli have discussed that final “so many times” over the years. The wound ran that deep.
3. IPL 2025, Lucknow: Ishan Kishan’s 94* Derails RCB’s Top-2 Push
In Match 65, with RCB chasing a top-two finish, SRH played spoiler at the Ekana Stadium. Ishan Kishan anchored the SRH innings with an unbeaten 94 off 48 balls), steering them to 231/6). RCB’s chase started brilliantly. Phil Salt (62 off 32) and Virat Kohli (43 off 25) put on 80 for the first wicket.
But Eshan Malinga’s devastating 16th over, which included a run-out and a caught-and-bowled, triggered a collapse of 7 wickets for 16 runs in the last 25 balls). RCB were bowled out for 189), losing by 42 runs. Pat Cummins (3/28) sealed the victory. The defeat dented RCB’s NRR and nearly cost them a Qualifier 1 spot.
Key Players in the RCB vs SRH Rivalry
Here are the Key Players from both Teams:
Top Run-Scorers
| Player | Team | Runs | Notable | 2026 Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | RCB | 805 | Most runs in rivalry | RCB |
| David Warner | SRH | 641 | 3 Orange Caps at SRH | Retired |
| AB de Villiers | RCB | 540 | Iconic middle-order | Retired |
Virat Kohli leads all run-scorers in this rivalry with 805 runs (762 pre-2025, plus 43 in the 2025 encounter). His 973-run season in 2016, though not exclusively against SRH, defined RCB’s run to that heartbreaking final. David Warner’s 641 runs came during SRH’s golden era when the Australian opener carried the franchise on his shoulders.
AB de Villiers’ 540 runs include some of the most explosive innings in this rivalry’s history. His partnership with Kohli in the 2016 season terrorized every bowling attack, including SRH’s. But it was SRH who had the last word that year, winning the final.
Top Wicket-Takers
| Player | Team | Wickets | Notable | 2026 Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | SRH/RCB | 18 | Most wkts in rivalry | RCB |
| Yuzvendra Chahal | RCB | 17 | Key RCB leg-spinner | PBKS |
| T Natarajan | SRH | 12 | Death-overs yorker king | Not Selected in Squad |
Bhuvneshwar Kumar tops the wicket charts with 18 wickets in this rivalry. The twist? He spent his best years at SRH (2014-2024) before moving to RCB for IPL 2025. He now plays for RCB in 2026, making him the rare player who has been the leading wicket-taker in a rivalry for one side and then switched to the other.
Yuzvendra Chahal’s 17 wickets came during his decade-long stint at RCB (2014-2021). His leg-spin was RCB’s primary weapon in the middle overs against SRH’s aggressive batters. T Natarajan’s 12 wickets reflect his death-overs excellence during SRH’s strong run from 2020-2022.
Notable Records in This Rivalry
| Record | Detail |
|---|---|
| Highest IPL Total Ever | SRH 287/3 vs RCB (2024, Bengaluru) |
| Highest T20 Match Aggregate | 549 runs (SRH 287/3, RCB 262/7) |
| Highest Losing Score in T20 History | RCB 262/7 (vs SRH, 2024) |
| IPL Final | SRH beat RCB by 8 runs (2016) |
| SRH Playoff Record vs RCB | 3-0 (Final 2016, Elim 2020, etc.) |
| Most Runs in Rivalry | Kohli 805 runs |
| Most Wickets in Rivalry | Bhuvneshwar Kumar 18 wickets |
What IPL 2026 Brings: The Season Opener
The IPL 2026 season kicks off on March 28 with defending champions RCB hosting SRH at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium). This is the third time RCB and an opponent open the IPL season together. It is also the first time RCB enter a season as title holders.
RCB’s IPL 2026 Squad (Defending Champions)
Rajat Patidar captains with the championship core intact. Virat Kohli (657 runs in 2025), Phil Salt (403 runs, SR 175.98), Josh Hazlewood, Krunal Pandya, Tim David, Jacob Bethell, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar form the spine. 17 players from the title-winning squad have been retained.
RCB released Liam Livingstone (just 112 runs in 10 matches at Rs 8.75 crore). That release becomes a subplot for the opener because Livingstone has been bought by SRH.
SRH’s IPL 2026 Squad
Ishan Kishan leads as interim captain after Pat Cummins was ruled out of the early matches due to a lumbar stress injury. Abhishek Sharma is vice-captain. Kishan comes in with exceptional form: he scored 317 runs in the T20 World Cup 2026 and led Jharkhand to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title in December 2025.
The squad includes Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen, Liam Livingstone (Rs 13 crore), Kamindu Mendis, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Brydon Carse, Harshal Patel, Eshan Malinga, and Jaydev Unadkat. Key departures include Mohammed Shami (traded to LSG) and David Miller (released).
SRH finished 6th in IPL 2025 and missed the playoffs. But their batting firepower, anchored by Head, Klaasen, and now Livingstone, makes them arguably the most explosive lineup in IPL 2026. The question, as always with SRH, is whether their bowling can hold up.
The Livingstone Factor: From RCB to SRH
Liam Livingstone’s move from RCB to SRH is the most intriguing subplot for the season opener. He managed only 112 runs in 10 matches for RCB during their title-winning 2025 campaign, batting at a strike rate that never justified his Rs 8.75 crore price tag. RCB released him; SRH bought him for Rs 13 crore.
Now he faces his former team in the very first match of the season. Livingstone’s dual role as an explosive middle-order batter and off-spin/leg-spin bowler could be the X-factor SRH need. For RCB, seeing Livingstone succeed for SRH would sting, but letting him go was a decision backed by their championship trophy.
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Verdict: SRH Leads The Head to Head Rivalry vs RCB Currently In IPL
SRH lead 14-11), but what makes this gap sting more for RCB is the 3-0 playoff record). SRH have beaten RCB in every single knockout encounter, including an IPL final. No other team has a perfect playoff record against RCB.
That said, RCB’s 2025 title changes everything. They are no longer the franchise that collapses under pressure. Kohli, Salt, Hazlewood), and Patidar have proven they can win when it matters. The league-stage record is level at 11-11, and RCB’s recent form (3 wins in last 6) shows they have closed the gap.
For IPL 2026, SRH’s batting lineup is terrifying on paper: Head, Klaasen, Livingstone, Kishan, and Abhishek can all clear any boundary. But without Cummins for the early matches, their bowling looks thin. RCB’s balance, depth, and championship mentality give them the edge heading into the season opener.
If this rivalry has taught us anything over 26 matches, it’s to expect the unexpected. The RCB vs SRH head to head is not just a stat sheet. It’s a highlight reel.
