IPL 2024: Royal Challengers Bangalore renamed as Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Unveiled by Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis, and Smriti Mandhana, the name change aims to pay homage to the culture and tradition of Bengaluru.
IPL 2024: Royal Challengers Bangalore renamed as Royal Challengers Bengaluru. PC: RCB
Just days before the Indian Premier League commences, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) announced a name change and will henceforth be known as Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The move aims to pay homage to the rich history and tradition of Bengaluru. The name change was announced at the Unbox event at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Tuesday.
The new jersey of RCB was also unveiled on the occasion by franchise captains Faf du Plessis and Smriti Mandhana, along with former skipper Virat Kohli.
The team management also inducted former Karnataka and India fast bowler R Vinay Kumar into their hall of fame. Kumar is the third highest wicket taker for RCB. Star batters AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle were the first inductees into the RCB Hall of Fame last year. The team management also felicitated India's first female pitch curator, Jacintha Kalyan, at the event.
The fans who assembled in droves at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium also saw their team and stars take part in a training session. The loudest cheers were reserved for Kohli, du Plessis, Glenn Maxwell, and fast bowling sensation Mohammed Siraj. The fans were also treated to an evening of good music and food.
The event started on a touching note when the entire RCB men’s squad gave a Guard of Honour to the women’s team who triumphed in the second season of the Women’s Premier League (WPL), handing the franchise their first trophy.
RCB will play the first match of the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League when they take on Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai March 22. After the Unbox event, the team left for Chennai, where they will undergo rigorous practice sessions before getting a feel for the exact conditions on offer.
In the first leg of the IPL schedule, RCB will play five matches, including three home games. After their first match, RCB will host Punjab Kings (on March 25), Kolkata Knight Riders (on March 29) and Lucknow Super Giants (on April 2). The team will play their fifth match in the first schedule in Jaipur against the Rajasthan Royals on April 6.
