A CSK fan in RCB territory: Inside Chinnaswamy for the Southern Derby

I feel like Hamza Ali Mazari from Dhurandhar.

Two days before the RCB vs CSK match in Bangalore, I land in the den of the current champions. There is talk of the big clash everywhere I go — hotels, shopping streets and vegetable shops — even as the quest for tickets reaches a feverish high.

Like any good spy, I slowly slip into RCB-land, trying to find clues that will help the men in yellow on the big evening. Overhearing fan strategies and choice of players is a big part of this. The most interesting aspect of any cricket match, especially a big one, is the tonnes of speculation and planning that we fans put into it, fully knowing that it has absolutely zero bearing on what happens on ground.

This is the Southern Derby. This is one of the biggest clashes in the IPL — in terms of hype and fervour. This is RCB taking on the CSK in Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, a battle between an in-form men in red and a relatively-weak men in yellow for sporting glory.

Match day

As I board the Bengaluru Metro headed to Cubbon Park station, all eyes are on me.

In a packed coach dominated by about hundred Royal Challengers Bangalore jerseys, I stand out. I’m wearing a bright yellow Chennai Super Kings jersey and cap, somewhat an oddity in the sea of red.

“Are you a CSK supporter,” a fan asks, tapping my shoulder, “We’re the champions from last year. You guys don’t stand a chance.”

Chinnaswamy Stadium
| Photo Credit:
Srinivasa Ramanujam

Outside the famous Chinnaswamy Stadium, the tremors increase. An RCB fan, armed with a red flag, has embossed the three letters of the team on her cheeks. “You made some bad decisions at the auction. This isn’t the mighty CSK team anymore,” she quips, as we make our way into the stadium.

Chinnaswamy Stadium — or the home of RCB — has a certain energy of its own. Buzzing with Bengaluru supporters, many of whom are inside way before the toss, the excitement is palpable.

The men in yellow have an average outing in the first hour, after which RCB’s T David decided to go berserk. They posted 250 runs, a monumental score for any team, leave alone an out-of-form CSK. The chase is anything but memorable, with the men in yellow losing wickets in a hurry — prompting the announcer and stadium DJ to go on an overdrive, with wry statements like, “This Chennai Express is headed fast, back to their own dressing room.”

Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s fans carrying a large banner cheer from the stands during the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Chennai Super Kings at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on April 5, 2026.
| Photo Credit:
AFP

Unfortunately for a handful of CSK fans like me, it indeed was fast.

The Metro ride back home was another sob story, with RCB fans offering commiserations. “Very weak team,” someone told me, even as I tried to tuck my bright yellow cap inside my pocket.

The Southern Derby had ended on a rather sad note. I was crestfallen. This Dhurandhar-like mission was anything but a blockbuster.