Why is RCB vs KKR clash called 'El Primero' of IPL?

The much-anticipated clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 10th match of IPL 2024 at the Chinnaswamy Stadium is just hours away. This marquee fixture, termed the 'El Primero' of the IPL, has a history and squares of the tournament's most popular franchises against each other in an epic contest.

The RCB vs KKR match is dubbed 'El Primero' as it was the first-ever IPL encounter played back in the inaugural season in 2008. In that opening game, Brendon McCullum's blistering 158* off 73 balls powered KKR to a massive 140-run win over RCB. This high-stakes clash set the tone for the entire tournament and brought in a new era of T20 cricket in India.

History of RCB-KKR rivalry

Since that opening game, the RCB-KKR rivalry has produced numerous memorable moments and heated battles. From the fiery exchanges between Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir to Chris Gayle's century against his former team, and RCB's lowest total record of 49 all-out, this fixture has never failed to entertain.

Also read: One team I wanted to beat every time and even in my dream was RCB: Gautam Gambhir

The rivalry will see extra spice this year with Gambhir returning to KKR as a mentor, setting up another potential face-off against star batter Kohli. With impact players like Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Mohammed Siraj, Rinku Singh, Dinesh Karthik, and Shreyas Iyer in the mix, fans can expect fireworks.

The two franchises have contested in some absolute thrillers over the years. From Kohli's majestic century in 2019 to Andre Russell's breathtaking cameo that helped KKR pull off an incredible chase in the same year. These moments have been registered in the history books of IPL.

Talking about the ongoing season, hosts, RCB are coming off a win in the previous game against Punjab Kings after suffering a defeat in the curtain raiser of the season against Chennai Super Kings. The visitors pulled off a narrow victory in their opening game of the season against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

So far in this season, no team has won a game away from home, with impactful performances in the last game KKR will be looking to break that jinx. The Bengaluru-based franchise will come hard at the Shreyas Iyer-led side and will look to add two more points under their belt.