When Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) take the field today, they will be up against a familiar foe – one that has tormented not only the men’s team this season but their women’s unit as well. Their home ground, the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, has become a thorn in their side, as they continue to maintain an unblemished record away from it.
The Bengaluru-based team have a win percentage of just 45.74 at their own ground, a place that ought to be their fortress if they are to make a serious run at the title. One of the most followed franchises, RCB have remained trophyless for 17 years, and with the Indian Premier League (IPL) reaching adulthood this season, they were hoping to finally break that curse. But in trying to do so, they appear to have entrapped themselves in another.
The ‘Chinnaswamy curse’, as fans have begun to call it, is causing considerable distress not only among RCB supporters but also the players and coaching staff. Some believe that by consistently losing the toss, captain Rajat Patidar loses half the battle before a ball is even bowled.
“It’s not that if you lose the toss, half the battle is lost, because the toss is not in our control,” Patidar said at thepre-match press conference on Wednesday. “But as a player, if you have to bat first, you always try to do the best you can in such situations and conditions. So, we are trying to focus more on that aspect and not on the toss.”
RCB are set to host a beleaguered Rajasthan Royals (RR) side, who are on the verge of elimination, at the Chinnaswamy on Thursday.
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“We haven’t played good cricket in our home matches… and it’s not in my hands [the toss],” said Patidar. “So, let’s see. This time, the wickets here have been a bit tricky and unpredictable, but that’s no excuse. We’ll try to adapt to the situation and conditions as quickly as possible.”
In the three games the team have played at home, RCB have lost the toss and been asked to bat first on each occasion. Usually a batter’s paradise, the average first innings T20 score this season at the Chinnaswamy has dropped to 142 from 195 in 2023 and 183 in 2024.
While the match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) slipped entirely out of their hands due to heavy rains, Josh Hazlewood, who has been a key figure for RCB, believes the track at Bengaluru hasn’t been as batter-friendly as expected.
“It’s not been a typical Chinnaswamy wicket,” he said after the defeat against PBKS. “Obviously, the bounce has always been there, but in past years it’s probably been more consistent. I find if you really hit the wicket hard in that 6 to 8-metre length, it’s quite tough to bat—and we’ve found that.”
But like the winning teams of Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), who have each lifted the IPL trophy five times, any side aiming for glory must turn their home ground into a fortress—especially when they get seven games there.
“To be honest, I think it’s just a coincidence that our [five] wins have come away from home,” said Devdutt Padikkalafter the away win over PBKS. “But we’ve played some really good cricket throughout the tournament. We’ve gelled well as a unit, and that shows. Each time we lose, we bounce back quickly. It’s important we carry this momentum and find a way to win at home. The Chinnaswamy deserves some wins too.”
With the conditions not best suited for batting, only Liam Livingstone and Tim David have managed to notch up fifties at home. Even Virat Kohli, one of the greatest white-ball batters, has struggled to make an impact with scores of 7, 22, and 1. David, who has emerged as a finisher for the side, believes this might be due to the over-attacking intent shown by the batters on pitches that haven’t played true.
“We’re a very good team,” he told the broadcaster after their away win against PBKS. “But at home, we’ve had three different surfaces in three matches. We’ve batted first every time—maybe tried to over-attack on pitches that haven’t been true. People think of Bengaluru as a flat pitch—it hasn’t been this season.”
Their high-risk, low-reward shot selection at home has been glaring. The team have lost a wicket every 12 balls on average in the powerplay at home, compared to a wicket every 60 balls in the powerplay when playing away. The intent has remained similar, but the rewards have not. They have lost a wicket to pace every five balls on average while attempting aggressive shots at home; away, it’s a wicket every 21 balls.
“It’s important to learn from the past and from our mistakes,” said Patidar. “We try not to dwell on the home games we’ve lost, and instead focus on the present—which is far more important. We always try to give our best on the day. Shot selection, and executing it correctly, is very important here, because the pitches have been a little two-paced and the bounce varies at times as well.”
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