There are few cricketing chants that can rival the passion of Bengaluru’s faithful. Two, in particular, send the decibel meters soaring—the ever-iconic “MS Dhoni” and the deafening “RCB, RCB” echoing across the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Yet, for all the love and energy the fans pour into their team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) continues to falter where they should dominate the most—their own backyard.
RCB has built a reputation as the most passionate yet perennially underwhelming franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Unlike other teams who turn their home venues into fortresses, Chinnaswamy has been anything but for RCB. The reason? A long-standing bowling conundrum that remains unaddressed. Or is it a curse of their own?
The Chinnaswamy Conundrum for RCB
Nestled in the heart of Bengaluru, Chinnaswamy Stadium is famed for its batting-friendly conditions. Short boundaries, true bounce, and a flat pitch make it a nightmare for bowlers. Over the years, RCB has stacked up power-hitters to make the most of these conditions, but their inability to defend totals has been their Achilles’ heel. The numbers paint a grim picture:
RCB (Men) record at M Chinnaswamy Stadium
| Mat | Won | Lost | NR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 34 | 15 | 18 | 1 |
Since 2012, RCB’s home wins in an IPL season have only exceeded their home losses on four occasions. We are talking about 13 different seasons here! That’s an alarming statistic, considering that home advantage is often crucial in a long tournament like the IPL. Their struggles continue to persist, and as IPL 2025 looms, it remains a major headache for RCB’s management. This year, they have four of their last six group fixtures at home, and this could be an uphill battle. A single slip-up could derail their campaign, yet history suggests it is an all-too-familiar tale.
The WPL Chapter: A Similar Fate for RCB Women
The RCB women’s team is already more successful than the men’s team. Yet, the script remained eerily similar for them too at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. RCB Women kicked off WPL 2025 in style, winning their first two matches in Vadodara. But as the tournament shifted to Bengaluru, their performances plummeted. They suffered three consecutive losses at home, one of which came in a dramatic Super Over, where they failed to chase down a mere nine runs. Their struggles at Chinnaswamy seemed to mirror those of their male counterparts.
Bowling Woes Continue to Haunt RCB
In WPL 2025, teams batting first at Chinnaswamy averaged 148 runs. RCB Women, despite averaging 157, found themselves on the losing side far too often. The numbers suggest that their bowling unit simply wasn’t up to the mark. Even their batting, at times, was overly reliant on individual brilliance—Ellyse Perry, for instance, played two sensational innings of 81 and 90 runs, accounting for nearly half of the team’s total runs in those matches.
The immeasurable support from the Bengaluru crowd deserves more. The fans have stood by RCB through thick and thin, yet the team’s inability to turn Chinnaswamy into a fortress remains one of the biggest mysteries in Indian cricket.
Editor's Pick
Cricket
LSG vs PBKS, IPL 2025: Clinical PBKS storm to second successive win at LSG's expense
Top Stories
