Name: Royal Challengers Bangalore

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), formerly known as Royal Challengers Bengaluru, is a professional cricket franchise based in Bangalore, Karnataka, participating in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Established in 2008 by United Spirits, the team derives its name from the renowned liquor brand Royal Challenge. Their home matches are hosted at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Founded in 2008 by Vijay Mallya, the team was named after its liquor brand, Royal Challenge. Initially, RCB struggled in the league, but gradually improved over the years. The team's logo and jersey designs have evolved over time, with various colors and motifs representing the brand. RCB also has a tradition of special matches, such as "Game for Green" matches, where the team's jersey colors are altered. Additionally, the team has had several brand ambassadors, including Katrina Kaif and Deepika Padukone, over the years.

Prior to the 2024 Indian Premier League season, the team underwent a name change to Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Throughout their IPL journey, they have clinched the runner-up position thrice, notably in 2009, 2011, and 2016. With a valuation of $69.8 million, they rank among the most valuable franchises in the IPL landscape.

As of 2024, the team's leadership is under the captaincy of South African cricketer Faf du Plessis, bringing his expertise to guide the squad. Notably, Royal Challengers Bangalore holds significant IPL records, including the record for the lowest score in an innings (49, against the Kolkata Knight Riders) and the highest score conceded in an innings (287, against Sunrisers Hyderabad).

By 2019, the Royal Challengers Bangalore had amassed a significant brand value, estimated at ₹595 crore (US$75 million) according to a survey conducted by Duff & Phelps. This valuation underscored the team's prominent position within the IPL landscape, reflecting its widespread recognition and commercial success.

In conclusion, the early years of the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League were marked by a mix of challenges and successes. Led by Rahul Dravid in the inaugural season of 2008, the team faced struggles on the field, finishing seventh in the league table. Despite notable acquisitions like Jacques Kallis and Anil Kumble, they struggled to find consistency and faced internal turmoil with changes in leadership and management.

However, the team showed resilience and improvement in subsequent seasons. In 2009, under the captaincy of Kevin Pietersen and later Anil Kumble, the Royal Challengers demonstrated a turnaround, reaching the IPL final but losing to the Deccan Chargers. The following year, in 2010, they secured a semifinal spot under Kumble's leadership but fell short against the Mumbai Indians.

Throughout these early years, players like Ross Taylor emerged as key contributors, showcasing their talent and playing pivotal roles in the team's performances. Despite the ups and downs, the Royal Challengers Bangalore laid the foundation for their journey in the IPL, setting the stage for future successes and establishing themselves as a formidable franchise in the league.

The 2011 and 2012 IPL seasons were a mixed bag for Royal Challengers Bangalore. In 2011, they made it all the way to the IPL final, thanks to the brilliant performances of Chris Gayle, who was named Man of the Tournament. However, they lost the final against Chennai Super Kings. RCB then qualified for the Champions League T20 as IPL runners-up and had an impressive run, reaching the final before losing to Mumbai Indians.

In 2012, despite not having Gayle initially due to injury, RCB put up a good fight with the likes of AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli shining with the bat. They were in contention for a playoff spot until the final league game where a batting failure against Hyderabad ended their campaign. Gayle regained form later in the season, becoming the first player to hit 3 IPL centuries.

While they could not qualify for the playoffs in 2012, RCB produced the highest run-scorer in Gayle (733 runs) for the second year running. Vinay Kumar also emerged as one of the leading wicket-takers that season. The 2011-2012 period highlighted RCB's ability to reach finals but also their inability to cross the final hurdle, a problem that persisted in the following years as well until their long-awaited first IPL title remained elusive.

In 2013, RCB had a strong start, winning their first six home games, thanks to impressive performances from Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli with the bat, and Vinay Kumar with the ball. However, they struggled away from home and narrowly missed out on qualifying for the playoffs.

In 2014, RCB retained Gayle, Kohli, and AB de Villiers, and made several new signings, including Yuvraj Singh for a massive ₹14 crore. However, they finished seventh and failed to make the playoffs.

In 2015, RCB had a mixed season, with both impressive wins and disappointing losses. They managed to secure the third position in the league stage but were eliminated in the Qualifier 2 by the Chennai Super Kings, finishing third overall. Gayle, Kohli, and de Villiers were among the top run-scorers, while Yuzvendra Chahal was RCB's highest wicket-taker.

The 2016 season was a dream run for Virat Kohli and Royal Challengers Bangalore, despite ultimately falling short in the final. Amid changes in ownership and branding, RCB had an inconsistent start but found form midway through Kohli's sublime batting. He set a record for most runs (973) in an IPL season as RCB improbably finished second in the league stage. After defeating Gujarat Lions in Qualifier 1, RCB reached their third IPL final in nine years but narrowly lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad by 8 runs. While they missed out on the title again, positives included Kohli's dominance with the bat, Shane Watson and Yuzvendra Chahal's wicket-taking exploits, and Kohli reaffirming his loyalty to the franchise he never planned to leave.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) struggled in the Indian Premier League (IPL) from 2017 to 2019, finishing at the bottom of the points table in 2017 and 2019, and sixth in 2018. Despite having star players like Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, the team faced numerous challenges, including injuries and inconsistent performances. However, RCB showed signs of improvement in the 2020 and 2021 seasons, qualifying for the playoffs but failing to win the title. The team underwent significant changes in 2022, with Faf du Plessis taking over as captain and AB de Villiers retiring. RCB reached the Qualifier 2 but lost to Rajasthan Royals. The team has made some new additions to their squad ahead of the 2023 season, hoping to break their title drought.

Royal Challengers Bangalore boasts a passionate and extensive fan base, particularly in Bangalore, where supporters show unwavering loyalty and vocal enthusiasm during home matches, often turning stadiums into a "sea of red." Their chants, including "R-C-B" and "A-B-D" for star player AB de Villiers, resonate throughout the venue, complemented by coordinated Mexican waves. Stadium organizers enhance the fan experience by distributing cheer kits, flags, and noisemakers. Additionally, the team established the Bold Army, a dedicated fan-following group. Notably, during the 2014 IPL season, RCB became the first team to offer free Wi-Fi connectivity to fans at their home ground, setting up 50 access points to enhance the match-day experience at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.