RCB had a settled core and don’t need to change too many things.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) had a formidable squad in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, with most bases covered. Hence, they won’t need to change too many things before the IPL 2026 auction. They might need to simply improve a few areas that caused concerns at times.
Last year, they had solid players, and several loopholes didn’t surface. However, teams will be smarter next season, so the defending champions should bolster their squad further with a few more quality options. Fortunately, there will be quality players available in the auction.
Before the IPL 2025 auction, RCB retained only three players – Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, and Yash Dayal. Then, they went into the auction with most spots to fill. Their player-picking process was impressive, for they hardly overpaid for any of them.
| Player | Price (in INR crore) |
|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | 21.00 |
| Josh Hazlewood | 12.50 |
| Phil Salt | 11.50 |
| Rajat Patidar | 11.00 |
| Jitesh Sharma | 11.00 |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 10.75 |
| Liam Livingstone | 8.75 |
| Rasikh Salam | 6.00 |
| Krunal Pandya | 5.75 |
| Yash Dayal | 5.00 |
| Tim David | 3.00 |
| Suyash Sharma | 2.60 |
| Jacob Bethell | 2.60 |
| Devdutt Padikkal | 2.00 |
| Nuwan Thushara | 1.60 |
| Romario Shepherd | 1.50 |
| Lungi Ngidi | 1.00 |
| Swapnil Singh | 0.50 |
| Abhinandan Singh | 0.30 |
| Swastik Chikara | 0.30 |
| Mohit Rathee | 0.30 |
| Manoj Bhandage | 0.30 |
| Mayank Agarwal | 1.00 |
RCB had a settled core and don’t need to change too many things. Hence, their released list will be rather short. Ahead of the IPL 2026 Auction, here’s a look at the likely RCB Retention List:
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As mentioned, Liam Livingstone didn’t have a great IPL 2025. His previous two IPL seasons have been mediocre, so his value will automatically reduce. Hence, RCB should release him and free a good amount.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar is another overpriced player. At this age, Bhuvneshwar is unlikely to get better, especially since he doesn’t play enough top-flight cricket. He often concedes plenty, so RCB should look to release him.
Rasikh Salam has been highly rated, but RCB should still let him go. If we look at their squad, Salam might not get enough chances and still costs INR six crore. If he is released, RCB can look for better options and get a few domestic talents as backups at a lower price.
Here’s a look at how the Royal Challengers will shape up after the likely retentions and releases:
Category: Retained
Rajat Patidar, Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Tim David, Jitesh Sharma, Swastik Chikara, Jacob Bethell, Krunal Pandya, Manoj Bhandage, Romario Shepherd, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma, Yash Dayal, and Mayank Agarwal.
Category: Released
Liam Livingstone, Lungi Ngidi, Tim Seifert, Mohit Rathee, Abhinandan Singh, Rasikh Salam, Swapnil Singh, Nuwan Thushara, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
If RCB release the mentioned players, they can free a considerable purse. A few of them earned big sums. Hence, RCB will have a big purse leading to the IPL 2026 auction.
Final Purse Amount: INR 28.95 crore
Cameron Green for Liam Livingstone – If RCB release Liam Livingstone, they will need a solid middle-order all-rounder, and Cameron Green can be one of the options. While RCB have Romario Shepherd, they would want another pace-bowling all-rounder who makes more contributions. Green’s recent rise as a middle-order batter makes him a solid contender for the role.
Deepak Chahar for Bhuvneshwar Kumar – If RCB are looking for a new-ball specialist, they should go for Deepak Chahar, who won’t be as expensive. He bowled well in the power play in IPL 2025 and can do the role of Bhuvneshwar, whose death-over bowling is not reliable anymore. Chahar also provides greater batting value and will add more depth to the batting department.
Simarjeet Singh for Rasikh Salam – Rasikh Salam didn’t get many opportunities, but cost a big sum. Instead, they can prefer Simarjeet Singh, who can bowl well in the powerplay and middle overs as a backup. His price won’t be as high, and he can be a nice backup if RCB don’t find a way to give him consistent chances.
They can retain players like Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Jitesh Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, and Suyash Sharma.
RCB might release players like Liam Livingstone, Rasikh Salam, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
RCB’s purse at the IPL 2026 auction could be around INR 29 crore.
