Will RCB Retain Phil Salt Ahead of IPL 2027 Auction?

With planning already underway for IPL 2027, the two time defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) must be discussing their retentions, with the mini-auction only a few months away. They will have a big decision to make about which players to keep, as they will not want to make too many changes to their winning squad.

One of the main questions amongst the fans will be, Will RCB Retain Phil Salt Ahead Of IPL 2027 Auction? Salt has been one of their key players, not only with the bat but also in the field. He has been an important part of the team and RCB should look to retain him.

Now, let’s look at both sides and see why RCB should retain him and why they could release him ahead of the IPL 2027 auction.

Why RCB should retain Phil Salt

Strong Opening Pair with Virat Kohli

Phil Salt and Virat Kohli have formed a strong opening pair for RCB. Salt has a career IPL strike rate of more than 174 and can score quickly in the powerplay. This is especially useful at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium and also takes some pressure off Virat Kohli and also off the middle-order.

Impressive Record with RCB

Salt has shown that his form is not limited to one season. He played an important role in KKR’s title winning campaign in 2024. He then scored more than 400 runs in his first season with RCB in 2025 and followed it up with 202 runs in just six matches in IPL 2026.

Useful Wicketkeeping Option

Jitesh Sharma is RCB’s main wicketkeeper, but Salt gives the team another option behind the stumps. Even when he does not keep wickets, he has been very good in the field and has taken some important catches.

RCB Will Not Want to Repeat KKR’s Mistake

RCB will also be careful not to make the same mistake KKR made after winning the IPL 2024 title. Salt was one of KKR’s best players, but they still released him. He then played a key role in helping RCB win back to back IPL titles in 2025 and 2026.

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Why RCB Should Release Phil Salt

Release Could Give RCB Bigger Purse

Phil Salt was bought for INR 11.5 crore in the IPL 2025 auction. If RCB release him, they will have more money to solve other issues in the squad. In a mini-auction, the number of top players is usually limited, and teams with a bigger purse can often outbid others. So, RCB could consider having a bigger purse by releasing Salt.

Availability Concerns & ECB Workload Management

English players can miss IPL matches because of international commitments and workload management. 2027 will also be the year of the ODI World Cup, so England could manage Salt’s workload. He missed the 2024 playoffs for KKR due to international commitments, while he played only six matches for RCB in IPL 2026 because of injury.

Overseas Slot Flexibility

IPL teams can only play four overseas players, so keeping an overseas opener means RCB may have fewer options in other areas. Venkatesh Iyer can also open for RCB and has already done well in Salt’s absence. If RCB release Salt, they could use the overseas spot on a pacer, especially as they already have enough strength in their batting.

Will RCB Retain Phil Salt Ahead Of IPL 2027 Auction?

The answer is that RCB should retain Phil Salt, and it is highly likely that they will keep him. Even though he played only six matches in IPL 2026, he made an impact whenever he played.

RCB have also seen how KKR struggled after releasing Salt, so they will not want to make the same mistake. Keeping him could help RCB keep their winning team together.

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