When IPL 2026 kicks off on March 28, the first ball of the season will be bowled at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. However, this season’s return carries deep emotion. On June 4, 2025, a tragic crowd crush outside this very ground during RCB’s maiden IPL title celebrations claimed 11 lives and injured over 50 people. The stadium was shut for nearly 10 months.
Now, with government approval, RCB will play five home matches here with massive safety upgrades. 11 seats will remain permanently empty as a tribute. Players will wear jersey number 11 during practice and black armbands during matches. Beyond the emotion, Chinnaswamy remains cricket’s ultimate batting paradise.
Short 60 metre square boundaries, Bengaluru’s altitude, heavy dew under lights, and the fastest outfield in Indian cricket combine to produce the highest scoring matches in IPL history. SRH’s 287/3, Chris Gayle’s 175 not out, and Virat Kohli’s record-breaking 2016 season all happened right here.
M Chinnaswamy Stadium Quick Overview
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Year Established | 1969 (foundation stone), first match 1972/73 |
| Location | MG Road, Bengaluru, Karnataka |
| Capacity | 40,000 (reduced to 28,000 for IPL 2026 post safety review) |
| Home IPL Team | Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
| Total IPL Matches | 100 |
| First IPL Match | April 18, 2008 (RCB vs KKR) |
| Named Ends | Pavilion End, BEML End |
| Floodlights | Yes (since 1996) |
M Chinnaswamy Stadium IPL Key Stats At A Glance
These numbers explain why bowlers dread this ground and batters dream about it across 100 IPL matches.
- Total IPL Matches Hosted: 100
- Won Batting First: 43
- Won Batting Second: 53
- Chase Win Rate: 55%
- Average 1st Innings Score: 171
- Total IPL Runs Scored: 32,373 (both innings combined)
- Total IPL Wickets Taken: 1,079
- Total Sixes: ~1,487 (avg ~14.87 per match)
- Total Fours: ~2,715
- Highest Total: 287/3 (SRH vs RCB, 2024)
- Lowest Total: 82 all out (RCB vs KKR, 2008, lowest completed match total)
- Highest Individual Score: 175* (Chris Gayle, RCB vs PWI, 2013)
- Best Bowling Figures: 5/5 (Anil Kumble, RCB vs RR, 2009)
M Chinnaswamy Stadium IPL Historic Records
Five records that cement Chinnaswamy’s status as the most extreme batting venue in IPL history.
| Record | Details |
|---|---|
| Highest Total (IPL Record) | 287/3, SRH vs RCB, April 15, 2024 |
| Lowest Total (Completed Match) | 82 all out, RCB vs KKR, April 18, 2008 |
| Highest Successful Chase | 217/7, RR vs RCB, 2014 |
| Best Individual Score (IPL Record) | 175*, Chris Gayle, RCB vs PWI, 66 balls, 2013 |
| Best Bowling Figures | 5/5, Anil Kumble, RCB vs RR, 2009 |
M Chinnaswamy Stadium IPL Batting Records
Chinnaswamy’s 60-metre square boundaries, high altitude, and lightning-fast outfield have produced the most destructive batting displays in IPL history across 100 matches.
Top Run Scorers at Chinnaswamy
Virat Kohli has scored 3,202 runs at Chinnaswamy, the most by any player at a single IPL venue in tournament history. His 2016 season alone produced 973 runs, the greatest individual campaign the IPL has ever seen, and the majority of those runs came on this very ground where the “RCB, RCB” chants pushed him to superhuman levels.
| # | Player | Runs | Matches |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virat Kohli | 3,202 | 94 |
| 2 | AB de Villiers | 1,960 | 59 |
| 3 | Chris Gayle | 1,561 | 45 |
| 4 | Faf du Plessis | 651 | 18 |
| 5 | Dinesh Karthik | 505 | 31 |
Highest Individual Scores at Chinnaswamy
Chris Gayle’s 175 not out off 66 balls against Pune Warriors in 2013 is still the highest individual score in IPL history. He smashed 17 sixes and 13 fours that night, reaching his century in just 30 balls, a record that still stands. The Chinnaswamy crowd watched in disbelief as Gayle turned cricket into a video game.
| # | Player | Score | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chris Gayle | 175* (66b, 13×4, 17×6) | RCB |
| 2 | AB de Villiers | 129* (52b) | RCB |
| 3 | Virat Kohli | 113 | RCB |
| 4 | Travis Head | 102 (41b) | SRH |
| 5 | Brendon McCullum | 158* (73b) | KKR |
Most Sixes Hit at Chinnaswamy
Virat Kohli’s 137 sixes at Chinnaswamy lead all batters despite him being known more for timing than raw power. Chris Gayle’s 127 sixes in just 45 matches show the pure six-hitting destruction the Universe Boss brought to this ground.
| # | Player | Sixes | Matches |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virat Kohli | 137 | 89 |
| 2 | Chris Gayle | 127 | 45 |
| 3 | AB de Villiers | 118 | 61 |
| 4 | Faf du Plessis | 35 | 18 |
| 5 | MS Dhoni | 34 | 12 |
Most Fours Hit at Chinnaswamy
Virat Kohli’s 292 fours at Chinnaswamy are the most by any player at a single IPL venue. His trademark cover drives and flicks on the fast outfield race to the boundary before fielders can react.
| # | Player | Fours | Matches |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virat Kohli | 292 | 89 |
| 2 | AB de Villiers | 155 | 61 |
| 3 | Chris Gayle | 121 | 45 |
| 4 | Faf du Plessis | 63 | 18 |
| 5 | Quinton de Kock | 52 | 11 |
M Chinnaswamy Stadium IPL Bowling Records
Bowling at Chinnaswamy is a survival test. The venue averages nearly 15 sixes per match, yet a few bowlers have found ways to thrive through variations, accuracy, and sheer guts.
Top Wicket Takers at Chinnaswamy
Yuzvendra Chahal’s 54 wickets at Chinnaswamy prove that leg spin can work even on the flattest batting surface when bowled with courage and variation. His googlies and deceptive flight troubled batters across multiple seasons for RCB.
| # | Player | Wickets |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yuzvendra Chahal | 54 |
| 2 | Mohammed Siraj | 29 |
| 3 | Zaheer Khan | 28 |
| 4 | Vinay Kumar | 27 |
| 5 | Sreenath Aravind | 25 |
Best Bowling Figures at Chinnaswamy
Anil Kumble’s 5/5 against Rajasthan Royals in 2009 remains the best bowling figures at Chinnaswamy and one of the greatest spells in IPL history. The legendary leg spinner dismantled RR’s batting on a surface that gives bowlers absolutely nothing.
| # | Player | Figures | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anil Kumble | 5/5 | RCB |
| 2 | Samuel Badree | 4/9 | RCB |
| 3 | Harshal Patel | 4/17 | RCB |
| 4 | Mohammed Siraj | 4/21 | RCB |
| 5 | Yuzvendra Chahal | 4/25 | RCB |
M Chinnaswamy Stadium IPL Team Records
Chinnaswamy has hosted both the highest total in IPL history and some of the most embarrassing collapses, proving this ground can produce every possible result in a single season.
Highest Team Totals at Chinnaswamy
SRH’s 287/3 against RCB in April 2024 is the highest total in IPL history. Travis Head raced to a 20-ball fifty as SRH reached 76/0 in the powerplay before accelerating brutally through the middle and death overs.
Head’s 102 off 41 balls and Heinrich Klaasen’s 67 off 31 balls powered SRH to the record total, with Abdul Samad adding 37 off just 10 balls as they plundered 46 in the last two overs.
| # | Match | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SRH vs RCB (2024) | 287/3 (SRH), IPL Record |
| 2 | RCB vs PWI (2013) | 263/5 (RCB) |
| 3 | RCB vs SRH (2024) | 262/7 (RCB) |
| 4 | RCB vs GL (2016) | 248/3 (RCB) |
| 5 | CSK vs Dolphins (2014) | 242/6 (CSK) |
Lowest Team Totals at Chinnaswamy
RCB’s 82 all out against KKR in the very first IPL match at this ground in 2008 remains the lowest completed match total at Chinnaswamy. That collapse came on the same surface where teams now regularly post 200-plus, showing how dramatically T20 batting has evolved since the tournament’s inception.
| # | Match | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | RCB vs KKR (2008) | 82 all out (RCB) |
| 2 | KXIP vs RCB (2015) | 88 all out (KXIP) |
| 3 | RR vs RCB (2010) | 92 all out (RR) |
| 4 | GL vs RCB (2016) | 104 all out (GL) |
| 5 | KKR vs MI (2017) | 107 all out (KKR) |
M Chinnaswamy Stadium IPL Fielding Records
Virat Kohli’s 41 catches at Chinnaswamy lead all fielders at this venue. His safe hands at slip and sharp reflexes in the inner circle have contributed to several crucial dismissals across 89 matches at his home ground.
| # | Player | Catches | Matches |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virat Kohli | 41 | 89 |
| 2 | Yuzvendra Chahal | 13 | 42 |
| 3 | Vinay Kumar | 12 | 25 |
| 4 | AB de Villiers | 11 | 59 |
| 5 | Mohammed Siraj | 10 | 29 |
Recent Events at M Chinnaswamy Stadium
On June 4, 2025, a crowd crush outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium during RCB’s maiden IPL title celebrations claimed 11 lives and injured over 50 people. An estimated 300,000 fans had gathered around the venue for the team’s felicitation ceremony. The Karnataka government suspended five police officers and filed FIRs against RCB, the KSCA, and event organizer DNA Entertainment. The franchise announced Rs 25 lakh compensation for each victim’s family. The case is currently ongoing in the Karnataka High Court.
Stadium Shutdown and Safety Overhaul
Following the tragedy, Chinnaswamy was shut for nearly 10 months. Retired Justice Michael D’Cunha led an investigation and submitted recommendations as part of a 17-point infrastructure overhaul. RCB invested approximately Rs 7 crore in crowd management infrastructure, including multiple baggage scanners and command centres. The KSCA constructed six new entry gates and widened existing ones under the new president Venkatesh Prasad’s leadership.
Government Clearance For IPL 2026
On March 16, 2026, the Karnataka government formally cleared Chinnaswamy to host IPL 2026 matches. Home Minister G Parameshwara chaired the approval meeting after an Expert Committee confirmed the venue met all safety requirements. Consequently, the stadium will host five RCB league matches, one playoff match, and the IPL 2026 final.
IPL 2026 Safety Measures
For IPL 2026, the following new safety protocols are now in place at Chinnaswamy.
- Reduced Capacity: Stadium capacity reduced from 40,000 to 28,000 for this season
- AI Surveillance: Over 500 AI-enabled CCTV cameras installed across the venue
- Early Gates: Stadium gates open four hours before the match starts
- New Entry Points: 6 new gates constructed with wider entry passages to reduce congestion
- Holding Areas: Old NCA premises converted into fan holding areas with ramps
- Exclusive Ticketing: All tickets sold exclusively through the official RCB website and app
- Ticket Cap: Maximum 4 tickets per account for high-demand fixtures
- Free Metro Travel: Every match ticket includes a Metro QR code for free travel on match day
- Extended Metro: Metro services extended until 1 AM on match days with trains every 3 minutes
- Pre-booked Parking: Available at Garuda Mall, St Joseph’s Schools, and Freedom Park
- Medical Facilities: Four medical triage centres set up at different locations inside the stadium
- Entry Restrictions: No electronic items, backpacks, or large bags allowed inside
- Celebration Ban: All celebrations outside the stadium have been banned
- Road Management: Cubbon Road cleared for vehicular movement at specific intervals on match days
RCB’s Tribute to the 11 Victims
RCB announced that 11 seats at Chinnaswamy Stadium will remain permanently empty as a tribute to the fans who lost their lives. Players will wear jersey number 11 during every practice session and black armbands during all IPL 2026 matches. CEO Rajesh Menon said “These 11 fans will always be with us.”
M Chinnaswamy Stadium Pitch Report For IPL 2026
Understanding why chasing teams win 55% of the time here is the key to cracking Chinnaswamy for fantasy cricket and match predictions.
| Factor | Details |
|---|---|
| Pitch Nature | Batting paradise |
| Pace Rating | 3/5 |
| Spin Rating | 2/5 |
| Dew Factor | Very High (most dew affected IPL venue) |
| Square Boundary | 60 to 65 metres |
| Average 1st Innings Score | 171 |
| Sixes Per Match | ~14.87 |
| Toss Impact | 56% win rate for toss winners |
Key conditions every fan should know:
- Short square boundaries of just 60 to 65 metres make this the easiest ground to clear in Indian cricket
- Bengaluru’s altitude gives the ball extra carry, helping it fly further off the bat
- Heavy evening dew makes bowling in the second innings extremely difficult
- Chasing teams win 55% of matches here, the highest chase win rate in the IPL
- Teams winning the toss should always field first in evening matches
- Despite being a batting paradise, quality leg spin (Kumble, Chahal) has historically succeeded here
M Chinnaswamy Stadium IPL 2026 Ticket Prices
RCB have introduced dynamic pricing for the first time this season. All tickets are sold exclusively through the official RCB website (shop.royalchallengers.com) and RCB App. Since capacity has been reduced to 28,000, tickets are even harder to get this season. Additionally, all tickets above Rs 500 attract 40% GST at checkout.
| Stand / Category | Base Price | Dynamic Price (Max) |
|---|---|---|
| Sun Pharma A Stand (General) | Rs 2,300 | Rs 3,300+ |
| Confirmed H Upper, Puma B, Boat C, E Stand | Rs 3,300 | Rs 4,875+ |
| R Rahul Dravid Platinum Lounge | Rs 4,000 | Rs 5,500+ |
| Javagal Srinath Stand P1 Annexe | Rs 6,000 | Rs 8,000+ |
| BKT Tyres Executive Lounge | Rs 10,000 | Rs 15,000+ |
| Sun Pharma Grand Terrace | Rs 10,000 | Rs 15,000+ |
| BS Chandrashekhar Stand P Terrace | Rs 15,000 | Rs 20,000+ |
| Syed Kirmani Stand P Corporate | Rs 25,000 | Rs 35,000+ |
| Venkatesh Prasad Stand P4 | Rs 25,000 | Rs 35,000+ |
| GR Vishwanath Stand P2 (Premium) | Rs 42,000 | Rs 65,800 |
How to Reach M Chinnaswamy Stadium
Metro is the only sensible option on match days. Driving near the MG Road and Brigade Road area is extremely difficult during IPL matches.
| Mode | Details |
|---|---|
| Airport | Kempegowda International Airport, approx 40 km (up to 90 mins on match days) |
| Nearest Metro | Cubbon Park, Purple Line (walking distance to stadium) |
| Nearest Railway Station | Bengaluru City Junction, approx 2 km |
| Parking | Not available near stadium (pre book at Garuda Mall or St Joseph’s) |
| Best Mode | Bengaluru Metro (free for ticket holders this season) |
| Entry Points | Cubbon Road, Link Road, MG Road (no entry from Queens Road except Pavilion) |
Upcoming IPL 2026 Matches at M Chinnaswamy Stadium
RCB will play five home matches at Chinnaswamy this season, with two home games at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur. Additionally, the stadium will host one playoff match and the IPL 2026 final.
| Date | Match | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|
| March 28 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (IPL 2026 Opener) | 7:30 PM |
| April 5 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings | 7:30 PM |
More home fixtures will be confirmed once the BCCI releases the full IPL 2026 schedule.
Suggested Reads:
Chinnaswamy: Where Records Fall, Legends Rise and RCB Calls Home
Chinnaswamy is not just an IPL venue. It is a monument to attacking cricket. Chris Gayle’s 175, Kohli’s 973 run season, SRH’s 287/3, and Kumble’s 5/5 all happened on this 60 metre square boundary ground where the rulebook gets rewritten every season. However, IPL 2026 at Chinnaswamy carries a weight that goes beyond cricket.
The 11 empty seats, the black armbands, and the jersey number 11 will remind every player and fan of the lives lost on June 4, 2025. RCB has spent Rs 7 crore on safety upgrades, reduced capacity to 28,000, installed 500 AI cameras, and introduced free metro travel to ensure nothing like that ever happens again. When Rajat Patidar leads the defending champions out for the IPL 2026 opener on March 28, Chinnaswamy will roar again. But this time, the 12th Man Army will do it with 11 absent friends forever in their hearts.
