Key takeaways
- CSK and RCB have met 36 times in the IPL. CSK have won 21, RCB 14, and one match had no result.
- RCB have won the last four meetings, in 2024, twice in 2025 and in 2026 — after winning only 10 of the first 31.
- Chennai's Chepauk was a fortress in this fixture; RCB won there in 2008 and then not again until 2025.
- The two sides met in the 2011 final, which CSK won by 58 runs in Chennai.
CSK vs RCB head to head at a glance
| Matches | 36 |
|---|---|
| Chennai Super Kings won | 21 |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru won | 14 |
| No result | 1 |
| Last meeting | RCB won by 43 runs, Bengaluru, 5 April 2026 |
| Current run | RCB have won the last 4 |
Records are IPL matches only, up to the end of the 2026 season.
How the rivalry has changed
For most of IPL history this was a one-sided fixture. Before the 2024 season, CSK had won 20 of the 31 matches and RCB only 10. Chennai were especially hard to beat at home: Royal Challengers won at Chepauk in the first IPL season, in 2008, and then lost every game there until 2025.
The last three seasons have turned that around:
| Period | Matches | CSK | RCB | No result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008–2023 | 31 | 20 | 10 | 1 |
| 2024–2026 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| All-time | 36 | 21 | 14 | 1 |
Both of RCB's title-winning seasons, 2025 and 2026, included wins over CSK. Chennai have not beaten Bengaluru since the opening match of 2024.
Every result since 2024
| Season | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Chennai | CSK won by 6 wickets (season opener) |
| 2024 | Bengaluru | RCB won by 27 runs — the result that put RCB into the playoffs and knocked CSK out |
| 2025 | Chennai | RCB won by 50 runs — their first win at Chepauk since 2008 |
| 2025 | Bengaluru | RCB won by 2 runs |
| 2026 | Bengaluru | RCB won by 43 runs (RCB 250/3, CSK 207 all out) |
The two teams met only once in 2026. In the most recent game, RCB made 250 for 3 and bowled CSK out for 207 in 19.4 overs; Tim David was player of the match.
The 2011 final
CSK and RCB have met once in an IPL final. In 2011, Chennai beat Bengaluru by 58 runs at Chepauk to win their second title in a row. For the full list of finals, see the IPL winners list.
Players who matter in this fixture
Virat Kohli has scored more runs in CSK vs RCB matches than anyone else — more than 1,000. Ravindra Jadeja has taken the most wickets in the fixture.
Squads change every year, so check who is actually in each squad after the IPL 2027 auction on 16 December. The current squads by role are in the Chennai Super Kings fantasy guide and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru fantasy guide.
What the head-to-head means for your fantasy team
Head-to-head records describe the past, not the next match. Use them as one input alongside the venue, the pitch and the playing XIs.
- Venue first. At the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, short boundaries mean high scores; the last game produced 457 runs. Load up on top-order batters from both sides. At Chepauk in Chennai, the pitch is slower and spinners matter more.
- Toss second. Chasing has the better record in Bengaluru. In Chennai, the side batting first has won more often.
- Form over history. RCB's recent run comes from strong squads in their title years. If the 2027 squads look different after the auction, weigh current form more heavily than the four-match streak.
- Keep one player from each top order. In a rivalry match, a balanced team protects you if the result goes the other way.
For every ground's batting-or-bowling verdict side by side, see the IPL pitch report.
Sources
- India TV, RCB vs CSK head to head ahead of IPL 2026 clash in Bengaluru, April 2026.
- Outlook India, CSK vs RCB head-to-head record ahead of IPL 2025 Match 8, March 2025.
- CricTracker, CSK vs RCB head-to-head record in IPL history, updated April 2026.
- IPLT20.com, TATA IPL 2026 Match 11: RCB vs CSK match report, 5 April 2026.
- Season-by-season results: each team's IPL season page on Wikipedia, checked October 2026.
Sources do not all agree on the all-time total. Our count is built match by match from the season results; it matches CricTracker's match list and Outlook's pre-2025 record.