RCB fans will never forget last year. After seasons of chanting \u201cEe Sala Cup Namde,\u201d watching near-misses turn into heartbreak, the franchise finally delivered, ending its long wait for a title in a moment that felt both overdue and surreal.<\/p>\n
The victory was more than just a win, it was the closing of a chapter defined by persistence, loyalty, and repeated disappointment. But that breakthrough sits atop a history layered with record-breaking highs, recurring setbacks, controversies, and moments of tragedy.<\/p>\n
A wait that defined the narrative<\/p>\n
For years, RCB<\/a> remained one of the IPL\u2019s most followed yet underachieving teams, repeatedly coming close but falling short at the final hurdle. The franchise reached the IPL finals three times, 2009 under Anil Kumble, 2011 led by Daniel Vettori, and 2016 with Virat Kohli<\/a> at the helm, but ended runners-up on each occasion.\u00a0<\/p>\n The 2016 season, in particular, stood out as both their peak and their heartbreak: RCB won 9 of 14 league matches, with Kohli scoring a record 973 runs in the season, including four centuries, yet lost the final to Sunrisers Hyderabad.<\/p>\n Between 2017 and 2019, RCB finished at or near the bottom of the table, including a last-place finish in 2017 and 2019, highlighting a sharp dip after their 2016 peak.<\/p>\n Despite these setbacks, RCB consistently remained among the most watched and commercially valuable franchises, driven by its star players and fan loyalty.\u00a0<\/p>\n Milestones that stood out<\/p>\n RCB\u2019s journey has consistently produced some of the IPL\u2019s most iconic numbers, but not all of them have stood the test of time. The franchise\u2019s 263\/5 against Pune Warriors in 2013, powered by Chris Gayle\u2019s 175*, remained the highest team total in IPL history for over a decade before being overtaken in 2024.<\/p>\n In IPL 2024, Sunrisers Hyderabad rewrote the record books, first crossing the mark with 277\/3 against Mumbai Indians and then pushing it further to 287\/3 against RCB in Bengaluru, the highest total in IPL history.<\/p>\n Despite losing that record, RCB still holds one of the league\u2019s most enduring individual milestones. Virat Kohli\u2019s 973 runs in the 2016 season remains the highest aggregate by a batter in a single IPL edition.<\/p>\n Virat Kohli also remains the highest run-scorer in IPL history. Representing RCB since 2008, Kohli has amassed 8,661 runs in 267 matches at an average of 39.54, including 8 centuries and 63 fifties, according to league records.<\/p>\n Controversies and tragedy<\/p>\n The most serious incident in RCB\u2019s history came in 2025, just as the franchise ended its long wait for a title. During victory celebrations in Bengaluru, a massive crowd surge outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium led to the deaths of 11 people and injuries to over 50 others, turning a historic moment into a tragedy.<\/p>\n A Karnataka government report submitted to the High Court pointed to serious lapses in planning and coordination, stating that the event was organised without proper permissions and lacked adequate crowd control and medical arrangements. In response, RCB announced financial assistance of \u20b910 lakh each to the families of those who died and launched a support fund for the injured.<\/p>\n The franchise has also faced administrative and ownership-related scrutiny over the years. Its early association with former owner Vijay Mallya brought attention during his legal and financial troubles, with the issue continuing to surface in public discourse, including reactions to his comments on the team in recent years.<\/p>\n On the cricketing side, RCB has frequently been questioned over team combinations and auction strategies, particularly in seasons where strong squads failed to deliver consistent results.<\/p>\n Even with the long-awaited title now secured, RCB\u2019s story has never really been just about titles. The wait may be over, but the chant isn\u2019t going anywhere. \u201cEe Sala Cup Namde\u201d continues this season too, only this time, fans have already seen it come true once.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"RCB fans will never forget last year. 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