BD NarayankarRaipur, May 10 -- What began as a routine fixture adjustment in the IPL 2026 schedule has unexpectedly turned into one of the more striking fan stories of the season, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru discovering an instant and unusually strong following in Raipur.
The franchise, originally set to play its home fixtures at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium, was allocated two matches at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium as part of a logistical reshuffle in the tournament calendar. On paper, it was a neutral venue switch. In practice, it has produced something far less predictable.
From the moment RCB arrived in Chhattisgarh, the reception went beyond standard away-ground curiosity. There was no visible acclim...