No team in the Indian Premier League has consistently delivered more breathtaking batting performances than the Royal Challengers Bangalore. Though the trophy cabinet remains bare after 14 seasons, RCB continues setting new standards of extraordinary shot-making year after year – as evidenced by the array of batting records they incredibly still hold to this day.
The cornerstone is undoubtedly Virat Kohli – the most prolific run-scorer not only in RCB history but IPL history. His 2016 campaign stands as the supreme individual achievement the tournament has seen, amassing a mind-blowing 973 runs at a Bradman-esque average of 81.08. Kohli remarkably also holds the record for most career IPL runs with 6,620, having built 41 half-centuries and five centuries.
When Chris Gayle tees off at full fury, no bowler on Earth looks safe. His devastating 175 not out versus Pune in 2013 – coming off a mere 66 deliveries – remains the highest individual score ever witnessed. This was the crown jewel within an innings where RCB blasted 263/5 – the biggest recorded team total. Gayle striking 17 sixes also set the benchmark for most maximums within a single brutal innings.
As much as the batsmen hog the limelight, RCB bowlers etch their names into the history books too. Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has won the coveted Purple Cap for most scalps in a season twice – further cementing his status as one of the premier tweakers in India’s rich spin bowling history. Meanwhile, seam bowling all-rounder Harshal Patel captivated fans in 2021 with his endless variety of slower balls, which yielded 32 wickets – a new high watermark.
When RCB’s batting superstars click in unison, few totals are beyond reach. This was proven in 2016 when Kohli and AB de Villiers put on a devastating 229-run stand versus Gujarat – the highest-ever partnership seen in the IPL. The pair repeatedly rescued RCB from dire situations that season – perhaps the biggest factor behind their most recent runner-up finish.
For all the individual brilliance, one record that best reflects RCB’s dominance came during the 2011 campaign. That year saw them victoriously reel off seven straight wins – the longest single-season winning streak the tournament has ever produced from a franchise.
While the trophy count desperately still awaits upgrading, these dazzling statistical feats underscore why RCB has every right to be considered IPL royalty. With an all-star lineup full of unlimited potential, more unbreakable records surely await.
