He played four matches for RCB in IPL 2025.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) batter Mayank Agarwal believes he contributed well and made an impact as the team finally ended their trophy drought in IPL 2025. Agarwal came as a replacement player for Devdutt Padikkal, who was ruled out midway due to a hamstring injury.
In an interview with ESPNcricinfo, Mayank recalls that he was in Oman when RCB’s head coach Andy Flower called him in the end phase of the tournament. He immediately rushed back to India and did a trial before joining the RCB camp.
“I was in Oman when I got the call. I had to rush back to do a trial before being picked, which I thought was very professional. It challenged me to see where I stood. I’m proud I could contribute, played some good innings, [and] had crucial partnerships, including one with Jitesh. I believe I made a solid impact.”
Mayank played four innings for RCB, where he scored 95 runs at an average of 31.66 and a strike rate of 148.83. His crucial cameo against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), scoring an unbeaten 41, helped RCB chase down their highest-ever IPL total and finish in the top two with 19 points before eventually winning the title by defeating Punjab Kings (PBKS) twice in the playoffs.
It’s a tricky decision for Royal Challengers Bengaluru because they already have a settled core, with most crucial slots filled with quality players. Once Padikkal returns next season, he will likely take the No.3 slot, leaving no place for Mayank Agarwal in the XI.
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However, RCB can still look to retain him by leaving a few other underperformers or unused players last season, such as Manoj Bhandage and Mohit Rathee. However, Mayank doesn’t contribute with the ball and can’t bat too low in order, something the likes of Bhandage do, even though he is still raw and underprepared.
Even if RCB retains Mayank, he will only be a backup, and his overall IPL record doesn’t inspire enough confidence, either, even if he was good in patches last season. There has been a pattern with his performances over the years: he plays a few top-notch innings every time and remains underwhelming for most other games, which was one of the reasons he went unsold last season in the first place.
Hence, RCB might consider releasing him before the next edition and freeing INR 1 crore to use on other batters who are more naturally suited to the middle order. The only way to retain Mayank is by releasing a few long-term investments, which might not be a great idea, considering his age and previous poor track record.
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