Image: Royal Challengers Bengaluru push for maiden IPL title with strong 2025 campaign / © India Today
The 18th season of the Indian Premier League 2025 has proved to be a game changer for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru team who have been playing well. Before the season, the team changed their dynamics completely with a new captain, Rajat Patidar, leading a relatively new side. Players such as Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma, Phil Salt, and Tim David joined the squad. With them, RCB has become a team to beat for the rest of the opponents. Coming to the points table, Royal Challengers Bengaluru are currently placed second with 16 points from 11 matches.
They have won 8 games and lost only 3, which shows how strong their campaign has been this season. Their net run rate stands at +0.482, which reflects their consistent performances. RCB has scored 1938 runs in 205.1 overs and conceded 1863 runs in 207.5 overs so far as their recent form is very impressive, winning four of their last five games and their recent streak of 4 Wins and 1 Loss shows the momentum is strongly in their favour. Just one more win from their remaining matches will confirm their spot in the playoffs. After years of heartbreak and near-misses, RCB fans are finally hopeful that this could be the season their team lifts the IPL trophy.
Starting their season on a high note, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru team managed to make the most out of their opening run in IPL 2025. With a new captain in Rajat Patidar and a fresh-looking squad, RCB has surprised many and shown great consistency across matches. They have played 11 games so far and won 8 of them, placing them second on the points table with 16 points. Let’s take a closer look at their journey through each of these matches.
| Date | Match No. | Opponent | Venue | Result | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Mar 2025 | 1st | Kolkata Knight Riders | Eden Gardens | RCB won | 7 wickets, 22 balls remaining |
| 28 Mar 2025 | 8th | Chennai Super Kings | Chennai | RCB won | 50 runs |
| 02 Apr 2025 | 14th | Gujarat Titans | Bengaluru | RCB lost | 8 wickets, 13 balls remaining |
| 07 Apr 2025 | 20th | Mumbai Indians | Wankhede | RCB won | 12 runs |
| 10 Apr 2025 | 24th | Delhi Capitals | Bengaluru | RCB lost | 6 wickets, 13 balls remaining |
| 13 Apr 2025 | 28th | Rajasthan Royals | Jaipur | RCB won | 9 wickets, 15 balls remaining |
| 18 Apr 2025 | 34th | Punjab Kings | Bengaluru | RCB lost | 5 wickets, 11 balls remaining |
| 20 Apr 2025 | 37th | Punjab Kings | Mullanpur | RCB won | 7 wickets, 7 balls remaining |
| 24 Apr 2025 | 42nd | Rajasthan Royals | Bengaluru | RCB won | 11 runs |
| 27 Apr 2025 | 46th | Delhi Capitals | Delhi | RCB won | 6 wickets, 9 balls remaining |
| 03 May 2025 | 52nd | Chennai Super Kings | Bengaluru | RCB won | 2 runs |
In their very first match on 22 March against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens, RCB started with a bang and chasing 175, they made 177 for 3 in just 16.2 overs and won by 7 wickets with 22 balls left. It was the perfect start to their campaign. Next, on 28 March, RCB travelled to Chennai to face the Super Kings. Batting first, they put up 196 for 7. Their bowlers then restricted CSK to 146 for 8, handing RCB a comfortable 50-run win. On 2 April, RCB suffered their first loss of the season at home against Gujarat Titans. They scored 169 for 8, but GT chased it down in 17.5 overs, winning by 8 wickets.
RCB bounced back strongly on 7 April at Wankhede, scoring a massive 221 for 5 against Mumbai Indians. They defended the target successfully and won by 12 runs in a high-scoring contest. However, they faced a setback on 10 April against Delhi Capitals in Bengaluru. RCB managed only 163 for 7, and Delhi chased the target with ease, winning by 6 wickets and 13 balls to spare. On 13 April, RCB dominated Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur. Chasing 174, RCB reached 175 for 1 in just 17.3 overs, winning by 9 wickets. It was one of their most convincing victories this season.
RCB’s batting collapsed on 18 April in a rain-shortened 14-over match against Punjab Kings in Bengaluru. They posted only 95 for 9, and Punjab chased it down in 12.1 overs, handing RCB a 5-wicket defeat. They quickly recovered on 20 April, facing Punjab Kings again, this time in Mullanpur. Punjab scored 157 for 6, but RCB replied with 159 for 3 in 18.5 overs, winning by 7 wickets. RCB continued their winning run on 24 April against Rajasthan Royals at home. Batting first, they scored 205 for 5 and restricted Rajasthan to 194 for 9, securing an 11-run victory in a tight contest.
On 27 April, they faced Delhi Capitals again, this time in Delhi. Chasing 163, RCB calmly reached 165 for 4 in 18.3 overs, winning by 6 wickets with 9 balls remaining. Their most thrilling win came on 3 May against Chennai Super Kings in Bengaluru. RCB posted 213 for 5, and despite a strong fight from CSK, they held on to win by just 2 runs in a nail-biting finish. These recent matches have shown that RCB can both post big totals and chase them down when needed. The new players have settled in well, and the team looks balanced.
For the first time in the 18 years of the IPL journey, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru team has got a team where everyone is performing as a unit and contributing at the right moments. In the batting department, Virat Kohli has been the standout performer. He has scored 505 runs in 11 innings at an average of 63.12 and a strike rate of 143.46. With seven fifties and a highest score of 73 not out, Kohli has provided stability and consistency at the top and Phil Salt has been a dynamic presence at the top of the order as well, scoring 239 runs in 9 innings at a brilliant strike rate of 168.30.
His aggressive approach has put pressure on bowlers early in the innings. Rajat Patidar, the captain, has also chipped in with 239 runs in 10 innings with a strike rate of 140.58, playing some crucial knocks. On the bowling front, Josh Hazlewood has led the attack with 18 wickets in 10 matches at an average of 17.27 and an economy of 8.44. Krunal Pandya has taken 14 wickets with best figures of 4 for 45, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar has added 12 wickets, including a best of 3 for 33.
After the 11 matches in the IPL 2025, the RCB team has been one of the most consistent performers of the season. With 8 wins from 11 games, they currently sit second on the points table and need just one more win to officially confirm their place in the playoffs. However, the team is not just aiming for qualification as they will be looking to finish in the top two to secure a spot in Qualifier 1, giving them an extra chance to reach the final. Their final three league matches are crucial. They will play against Kolkata Knight Riders on 17 May in Bengaluru, followed by a clash with Sunrisers Hyderabad at the same venue on 23 May.
Their last league match is against Lucknow Super Giants on 27 May in Lucknow. Each of these matches will have a direct impact on where they end up on the table. However, RCB have been dealt a major blow ahead of these important fixtures. Their leading pacer, Josh Hazlewood, is set to be ruled out of the remainder of the IPL due to injury. Adding to their concerns, captain Rajat Patidar is likely to miss a few games, which could disturb the team’s momentum and balance.