IPL 2025: Can Royal Challengers Bengaluru Overcome Poor Historical Playoffs Form to Finally End Trophy Drought?

When the Royal Challengers Bengaluru take on the Punjab Kings in the first game of the IPL 2025 playoffs on Thursday (May 29), all eyes will be on the Rajat Patidar-led side as they seek to end a trophy drought stretching back to the origins of the Indian Premier League. 

RCB are easily one of the most fervently supported teams in the IPL, thanks in no small part to the appeal and popularity of their talisman and former captain Virat Kohli. But their lack of success has been used as a proverbial stick to beat them with. 

And one of the reasons they have failed to taste success in the tournament comes down to their poor record in the playoffs phase. 

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RCB's Playoff Performances - A Brief History

In the first 3 years of the tournament from 2008-10, RCB generally were in and among the top 4 with the exception of 2008. They made the final in 2009 but lost out in the semi-final the following year. 

However, since then their consistency both in terms of making the playoffs as well as regularly winning games has been poor to say the least. 

Their current IPL playoffs form reads as follows - played 15, won 5, lost 10. That is a 33% win rate in the most crucial matches of the tournament. 

To make things worse, RCB's recent form in the play-offs has also been poor. Of the last 5 games they have played in the knockouts, they have only won 1 and lost the remaining 4. 

It makes for even more grim reading when analysing their form in IPL finals - they have played in 3 finals (2009, 2011 and 2016) and lost all of them. 

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IPL 2025 Away Form Sparks Hope? 

However, if there is one thing that RCB fans can take some solace in, it is their away form this season - and none of the playoffs will be taking place in Bengaluru. 

They have a perfect away record in the group stages this season, as they won all of their 7 matches away from home, with only 2 of their overall wins coming at home. 

It is an unprecedented run of form, as teams mostly prefer making their home grounds a fortress but in RCB's case it was the exact opposite. 

Given the playoffs take place in Chandigarh and Ahmedabad, perhaps RCB fans can finally dream about this being the time ‘ee saala cup namde’ becomes a reality.