The 2021 RCB squad has been shaken up while retaining some key players from former seasons. Once all the cards are on the table, this could be the year that the Royal Challengers Bangalore prove their worth in the field.
Table of Contents
RCB Status
The Royal Challengers’ first game in the IPL in 2008 wasn’t their best as they ended up in seventh place. They were also not able to participate in the Champions League Twenty20 since it was canceled that year. The following year, they reached Runners-up in the IPL and league stage in CLT20.
2010 proved to be a lot better as the RCB reached Playoffs in third place in the IPL and semifinalists in CLT20. The team then got to Runners-up in both leagues in 2011.
After that, the next time they caught a break was in 2015 when they got to the Playoffs in the IPL. In 2016 they reached Runners-up once again before falling back to their bad luck streak until 2020 when the RCB score managed to land them in the playoffs.
| Year | Indian Premier League | Champions League Twenty20 |
| 2008 | League stage (7th/8) | Canceled |
| 2009 | Runners-up | League stage |
| 2010 | Playoffs (3rd/8) | Semifinalists |
| 2011 | Runners-up | Runners-up |
| 2012 | League stage (5th/9) | DNQ |
| 2013 | ||
| 2014 | League stage (7th/8) | |
| 2015 | Playoffs (3rd/8) | Defunct |
| 2016 | Runners-up | |
| 2017 | League stage (8th/8) | |
| 2018 | League Stage (6th/8) | |
| 2019 | League Stage (8th/8) | |
| 2020 | Playoffs (4th/8) |
RCB Symbols
The Royal Challengers Bangalore have vibrant imagery inspired by the royal lineage of the lion. They’ve made sure that their brand is recognizable across the cricket world with the unforgettable crowned lion.
RCB Logo
The original RCB logo was simpler in terms of design compared to the new version. It had the RC golden emblem in a red circular logo with the crown surrounding it.
The RCB new logo was a welcome change. It included black as a secondary color and a lion in the crest that became more prominent in the latest iteration of the logo.
RCB Jersey
The RCB jersey colors started as red and golden yellow with the names of the players in white and their respective numbers in black. Yellow was then replaced by gold, and the team added blue as a tertiary color.
Each season, the team has presented a few new tweaks to their apparel.
At one point, the dominating color was blue.
The team later came back with names and numbers printed in gold and the blue would be eliminated in favor of black.
Currently, the RCB new jersey sports a predominantly red and black design.
RCB Song
RCB started with the theme song “Jeetenge Hum Shaan Se” in the 2018 season. The 2009 season was “Game for More”. A new one was created in 2013 and used until 2015 named “Here We Go The Royal Challengers”.
The team changed it again to the anthem “Play Bold” in 2016 with the launch of its new jerseys. RCB has used the same anthem sung by Anand Bhaskar and recomposed it in six different languages.
RCB players 2021
| No. | Name | Nat | Birth date | Batting style | Bowling style | Salary |
| Batsmen | ||||||
| 18 | Virat Kohli | ?? | 5 November 1988 (age 32) | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | ₹17 crore (US$2.4 million) |
| 37 | Devdutt Padikkal | ?? | 7 July 2000 (age 20) | Left-handed | Right-arm off break | ₹20 lakh (US$28,000) |
| N/A | Sachin Baby | ?? | 18 December 1988 (age 32) | Left-handed | Right-arm off break | ₹20 lakh (US$28,000) |
| N/A | Rajat Patidar | ?? | 1 June 1993 (age 27) | Right-handed | Right-arm off break | ₹20 lakh (US$28,000) |
| N/A | Suyash Prabhudessai | ?? | 6 December 1997 (age 23) | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium | ₹20 lakh (US$28,000) |
| N/A | Finn Allen | ?? | 22 April 1999 (age 21) | Right-handed | ₹20 lakh (US$28,000) | |
| All-rounders | ||||||
| N/A | Pavan Deshpande | ?? | 16 September 1989 (age 31) | Left-handed | Right-arm off break | ₹20 lakh (US$28,000) |
| N/A | Glenn Maxwell | ?? | 14 October 1988 (age 32) | Right-handed | Right-arm off break | ₹14.25 crore (US$2.0 million) |
| Wicket-keepers | ||||||
| 17 | AB de Villiers | ?? | 17 February 1984 (age 37) | Right-handed | Right-arm medium | ₹11 crore (US$1.5 million) |
| 1 | Josh Philippe | ?? | 1 June 1997 (age 23) | Right-handed | ₹20 lakh (US$28,000) | |
| N/A | Mohammed Azharuddeen | ?? | 22 March 1994 (age 26) | Right-handed | ₹20 lakh (US$28,000) | |
| N/A | K. S. Bharat | ?? | 3 October 1993 (age 27) | Right-handed | Right-arm off break | ₹20 lakh (US$28,000) |
| Spin Bowlers | ||||||
| 3 | Yuzvendra Chahal | ?? | 23 July 1990 (age 30) | Right-handed | Right-arm leg break | ₹6 crore (US$841,000) |
| 5 | Washington Sundar | ?? | 5 October 1999 (age 21) | Left-handed | Right-arm off break | ₹3.2 crore (US$449,000) |
| 36 | Adam Zampa | ?? | 31 March 1992 (age 28) | Right-handed | Right-arm leg break | ₹1.5 crore (US$210,000) |
| 21 | Shahbaz Ahmed | ?? | 12 December 1994 (age 26) | Left-handed | Slow left-arm orthodox | ₹20 lakh (US$28,000) |
| Pace Bowlers | ||||||
| 96 | Navdeep Saini | ?? | 23 November 1993 (age 27) | Right-handed | Right-arm fast | ₹3 crore (US$421,000) |
| 73 | Mohammed Siraj | ?? | 13 March 1994 (age 27) | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium | ₹2.6 crore (US$365,000) |
| N/A | Kane Richardson | ?? | 12 February 1991 (age 30) | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium | ₹4 crore (US$561,000) |
| N/A | Daniel Sams | ?? | 27 December 1992 (age 28) | Right-handed | Left-arm fast | ₹30 lakh (US$42,000) |
| N/A | Harshal Patel | ?? | 12 December 1994 (age 26) | Left-handed | Right-arm fast-medium | ₹20 lakh (US$28,000) |
| N/A | Kyle Jamieson | ?? | 30 December 1994 (age 26) | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium | ₹15 crore (US$2.1 million) |
| N/A | Dan Christian | ?? | 4 May 1983 (age 37) | Right-handed | Right-arm fast-medium | ₹4.8 crore (US$672,960.00) |
RCB Captain
The Royal Challengers has had several captains leading them throughout the years. People like Rahul Dravid, Kevin Pietersen, Anil Kumble, and Daniel Vettori have made their mark in the team’s history with several degrees of success. The most notable captains, however, are Shane Watson and the current captain Virat Kohli.
Virat Kohli, often regarded as the best contemporary batsmen in the world, is leading the Challengers this season. His aggressive playstyle with strong technical skills has earned him a reputation among his peers and rivals alike. This record-breaking player is one of the best chances the RCB has to prove themselves this season.
| Player | Nationality | First | Last | Mat | Won | Lost | Tied | NR | Win% |
| Rahul Dravid | ?? India | 2008 | 2008 | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 28.57 |
| Kevin Pietersen | ??????? England | 2009 | 2009 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Anil Kumble | ?? India | 2009 | 2010 | 35 | 19 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 54.28 |
| Daniel Vettori | ?? New Zealand | 2011 | 2012 | 28 | 15 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 53.57 |
| Virat Kohli | ?? India | 2011 | Present | 96 | 44 | 47 | 2 | 3 | 48.38 |
| Shane Watson | ?? Australia | 2017 | 2017 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
RCB Coach
The RCB coach in 2021 was Simon Katich, an Australian former cricketer who has been Head Coach for the franchise since 2019. He played in the IPL for the Punjab Kings in the past and has also had prior experience coaching as an assistant coach for Kolkata Knight Riders in 2015.
RCB Owner
The RCB team owner is United Spirits Limited (USL), an Indian alcoholic beverages company with the second-largest spirits volume in the world.
RCB Best Players
RCB has some of the best players in the IPL. Hopefully, this will lead them to victory this year.
Virat Kohli
The captain of the RCB team since 2013 is the most promising prospect. He is the leading run-scorer of the whole tournament with 5878 runs in 184 innings.
He has been consistently rated as one of the top-ranked batsmen in the world, according to the ICC Player Rankings and one of the highest paid athletes according to Forbes. There’s no other way to say that Kohli is at the top of the charts and one of the best in the field.
Kohli is more than capable of carrying the whole team on his shoulders. Having led the team to the playoffs, Kohli’s leadership, along with his strong technical skills, make him a great cricketer and one of the key players for the team.
AB de Villiers
Abraham Benjamin de Villiers is a South African player who’s made a comeback as part of the Royal Challengers after a short retirement. He started his career as a wicket-keeper but soon developed his batting skills to the point where he’s now regarded as one of the best batsmen in the world.
Throughout his long cricket career, he has accumulated awards and achievements to his name left and right. Recently, he was nominated for Sir Garfield Sobers Award for ICC Male Cricketer of the Decade, and the award for ODI cricketer of the decade. He has earned two prominent nicknames that showcase his abilities. The first one is “Mr. 360” due to his ability to play shots all around the wicket, and the second nickname is “Superman” due to his acrobatic fielding.
Virat Kohli has gone on record saying that he admires de Villiers, and since he is the captain of RCB, we can assume that he has a lot of hope for AB de Villiers’ success.
Devdutt Padikkal
Devdutt Padikkal has brilliant batting skills. This season could be Padikkal’s moment to shine in the spotlight.
Last season, he started with a half-century in his IPL debut match, made 473 runs in 15 matches as well as 5 half-centuries, and managed to earn an award as Emerging Player of the Tournament. It’s no wonder the RCB decided to retain him for this season.
Glenn Maxwell
Another notable player that has recently been added to the Royal Challengers’ roster, Glenn Maxwell is a welcomed addition to the RCB team.
He is a big hitter capable of accumulating a lot of runs within just a few balls. His batting technique is ruthless and his strikes are well-known and feared in the field.
Not only that, but he also set the record for fastest half-century in Australia in 2011. People are betting on him to become a top run-scorer for the RCB in IPL 2021.
Josh Philippe
This Australian cricketer has only played a few matches for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, five to be exact. This season he may be the new opener, replacing Aaron Finch.
His young age is a signal that Philippe has room to improve his cricket skills and could become a prominent player soon enough.
Considering that Philippe is a strong batsman, it’s safe to assume that the RCB chose him to improve the team’s overall performance this season.
RCB Competitors at the IPL
Although Royal Challengers Bangalore is one of the most promising teams this season, they need to beat some fierce competitors in the Indian Premier League to win the trophy.
Here are the top contenders:
- Kings XI Punjab (KXIP)
- Rajasthan Royals (RR)
- Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
- Mumbai Indians (MI)
- Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
- Delhi Capitals (DC)
- Sunrisers Hyderabad
Summary
The Royal Challengers Bangalore have earned a not-so-favorable reputation over the years as underachievers, especially considering the number of remarkable players that have been part of their roster at some point or another.
While they have had some of the highest highs and lowest lows in the IPL, the fact that the team keeps reinventing itself shows a desire for improvement that will be made present this season.
The RCB match schedule will be available on Parimatch.
FAQ
How Many Times RCB Won IPL?
While the RCB has taught runners-up on three separate occasions between 2009 and 2012, the Royal Challengers have never won the IPL.
Who Is The Owner Of RCB?
RCB is owned by the alcoholic beverages company United Spirits Limited (USL).
What Is RCB’s Highest Score In IPL?
RCB scored the highest runs in a match in 2013 against Pune Warriors India with an astounding score of 263-5.
Where Can I Find The RCB IPL Schedule?
You can find the Royal Challengers IPL schedule in Parimatch.
Why Did RCB Wear Green?
Once every season, Royal Challengers will sport green jerseys as an initiative for environment conservation. They spread the ‘Go Green’ message to raise awareness about global warming, incentivising people to plant trees, conserve energy, and recycle.