section_path: History/2016–2019: Runners-up and bottom-table finishes
section_name: 2016–2019: Runners-up and bottom-table finishes
paragraph_text: 2016–2019: Runners-up and bottom-table finishes
  
  Amid financial scandals involving owner and chairman Vijay Mallya, Amrit Thomas became the chairman of the Royal Challengers. In the 2016 season, RCB introduced different jerseys for home and away matches. During the player auction, they acquired Shane Watson, Kane Richardson, Stuart Binny, Travis Head, and Samuel Badree, among others. Additionally, KL Rahul and Parvez Rasool joined RCB from Sunrisers Hyderabad. RCB won their first match of the season against Sunrisers, with AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli scoring 82 and 75 runs, respectively. However, they struggled in the next six matches, securing only one win against Rising Pune Supergiant, which made it challenging to qualify for the playoffs. However, RCB qualified for the playoffs, losing only one match in their next seven games. They set a record by defeating the Gujarat Lions with a winning margin of 144 runs, the highest in IPL history. RCB finished the group stage in second place on the points table with 16 points. In the playoffs, they faced Gujarat Lions in Qualifier 1 at their home ground, M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, and won by 4 wickets, advancing to their third final in nine seasons. In the final against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bangalore, RCB lost by 8 runs, ending the season as runners-up for the third time in IPL history. Yuzvendra Chahal and Shane Watson were the second and third highest wicket-takers of the tournament, while Virat Kohli won the Orange Cap for scoring the most runs in the tournament, amassing 973 runs – the highest ever in IPL history.
  
  In the 2017 player auctions, the Royal Challengers acquired Tymal Mills, Aniket Choudhary, Pawan Negi, Praveen Dubey, and Billy Stanlake. Mitchell Starc parted ways with the team to rehabilitate ahead of the Champions Trophy, prompting the management to replace him with Tymal Mills. The season for RCB was impacted by injuries, with skipper Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers missing the initial matches. This led to Shane Watson stepping in as the interim captain. Batsmen KL Rahul and Sarfaraz Khan were also ruled out for the season due to prolonged injuries. RCB finished at the bottom of the table, losing ten out of their fourteen matches. In a match against the Kolkata Knight Riders, RCB was all out for just 49 runs, marking the lowest score ever in an IPL match. Virat Kohli was the leading run-scorer for the team with 308 runs in the tournament, while Pawan Negi took the most wickets, claiming 16.
  
  Ahead of the 2018 IPL, RCB retained Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, and Sarfaraz Khan. During the auction, they acquired notable players such as Brendon McCullum, Chris Woakes, Colin de Grandhomme, Moeen Ali, Quinton de Kock, Umesh Yadav, and Yuzvendra Chahal, among others. In January 2018, Gary Kirsten was appointed as the batting coach, and Ashish Nehra took on the role of bowling coach. In the group stage, RCB finished sixth in the points table, failing to qualify for the playoffs. Virat Kohli was the team's leading run-scorer, while Umesh Yadav took the most wickets.
  
  In August 2018, Gary Kirsten was appointed as the head coach of the Royal Challengers Bangalore, replacing Daniel Vettori. During the 2019 IPL auction, the team acquired Shivam Dube, Shimron Hetmyer, Heinrich Klaasen, and Devdutt Padikkal, along with other key players. During the season, Dale Steyn joined the team, replacing the injured Nathan Coulter-Nile. Steyn played only two games before being ruled out of the tournament due to a shoulder injury. In the group stage, RCB played 14 games, winning five, and finished at the bottom of the table. Virat Kohli was once again the highest run-scorer for the team, while Yuzvendra Chahal was the highest wicket-taker.
  
  Amid financial scandals involving owner and chairman Vijay Mallya, Amrit Thomas became the chairman of the Royal Challengers. In the 2016 season, RCB introduced different jerseys for home and away matches. During the player auction, they acquired Shane Watson, Kane Richardson, Stuart Binny, Travis Head, and Samuel Badree, among others. Additionally, KL Rahul and Parvez Rasool joined RCB from Sunrisers Hyderabad. RCB won their first match of the season against Sunrisers, with AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli scoring 82 and 75 runs, respectively. However, they struggled in the next six matches, securing only one win against Rising Pune Supergiant, which made it challenging to qualify for the playoffs. However, RCB qualified for the playoffs, losing only one match in their next seven games. They set a record by defeating the Gujarat Lions with a winning margin of 144 runs, the highest in IPL history. RCB finished the group stage in second place on the points table with 16 points. In the playoffs, they faced Gujarat Lions in Qualifier 1 at their home ground, M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, and won by 4 wickets, advancing to their third final in nine seasons. In the final against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bangalore, RCB lost by 8 runs, ending the season as runners-up for the third time in IPL history. Yuzvendra Chahal and Shane Watson were the second and third highest wicket-takers of the tournament, while Virat Kohli won the Orange Cap for scoring the most runs in the tournament, amassing 973 runs – the highest ever in IPL history.
  
  In the 2017 player auctions, the Royal Challengers acquired Tymal Mills, Aniket Choudhary, Pawan Negi, Praveen Dubey, and Billy Stanlake. Mitchell Starc parted ways with the team to rehabilitate ahead of the Champions Trophy, prompting the management to replace him with Tymal Mills. The season for RCB was impacted by injuries, with skipper Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers missing the initial matches. This led to Shane Watson stepping in as the interim captain. Batsmen KL Rahul and Sarfaraz Khan were also ruled out for the season due to prolonged injuries. RCB finished at the bottom of the table, losing ten out of their fourteen matches. In a match against the Kolkata Knight Riders, RCB was all out for just 49 runs, marking the lowest score ever in an IPL match. Virat Kohli was the leading run-scorer for the team with 308 runs in the tournament, while Pawan Negi took the most wickets, claiming 16.
  
  Ahead of the 2018 IPL, RCB retained Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, and Sarfaraz Khan. During the auction, they acquired notable players such as Brendon McCullum, Chris Woakes, Colin de Grandhomme, Moeen Ali, Quinton de Kock, Umesh Yadav, and Yuzvendra Chahal, among others. In January 2018, Gary Kirsten was appointed as the batting coach, and Ashish Nehra took on the role of bowling coach. In the group stage, RCB finished sixth in the points table, failing to qualify for the playoffs. Virat Kohli was the team's leading run-scorer, while Umesh Yadav took the most wickets.
  
  In August 2018, Gary Kirsten was appointed as the head coach of the Royal Challengers Bangalore, replacing Daniel Vettori. During the 2019 IPL auction, the team acquired Shivam Dube, Shimron Hetmyer, Heinrich Klaasen, and Devdutt Padikkal, along with other key players. During the season, Dale Steyn joined the team, replacing the injured Nathan Coulter-Nile. Steyn played only two games before being ruled out of the tournament due to a shoulder injury. In the group stage, RCB played 14 games, winning five, and finished at the bottom of the table. Virat Kohli was once again the highest run-scorer for the team, while Yuzvendra Chahal was the highest wicket-taker.