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Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) don’t need to make sweeping changes. Coming into the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction as the reigning champions, RCB have to plug the gaps. Their starting XI is almost set, and they’ll have good replacements for the released players, including backups in case players get injured or are out of form.
RCB retention list
Abhinandan Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Devdutt Padikkal, Jacob Bethell
, Jitesh Sharma (wk & vc), Josh Hazlewood, Krunal Pandya, Nuwan Thushara, Phil Salt (wk), Rajat Patidar (c), Rasikh Dar, Romario Shepherd, Suyash Sharma, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Virat Kohli, Yash Dayal
RCB released players list
Liam Livingstone, Manoj Bhandage, Mayank Agarwal, Swapnil Singh, Mohit Rathee, Swastik Chikara
Purse & slots for IPL 2026 auction
RCB has the fifth-lowest purse for the IPL auction 2026 — INR 16.40 crore. But considering they need to fill just one slot to reach the minimum squad strength and eight slots for a maximum of 25 players, the number isn’t all too bad. At best, RCB can acquire 2 overseas players, as they have retained 6 already.
Players RCB should target at IPL 2026 auction
With Lungi Ngidi gone and doubts over Josh Hazlewood’s fitness, RCB will have to get at least one more foreign fast bowler. They’ll have a few options and will have to decide which pacer to go for due to budgetary constraints. RCB will look to get at least one Indian pacer as well.
| Matheesha Pathirana/Gerald Coetzee/Anrich Nortje/ Spencer Johnson/Matt Henry/Gus Atkinson/ Fazalhaq Farooqi/Lungi Ngidi/Will O’Rourke | Foreign fast bowler |
| Mahipal Lomror/Atharva Taide/ Deepak Hooda/Tanush Kotian | Indian spin all-rounder |
| Luvnith Sisodia/Vansh Bedi | Indian Wicketkeeper |
| Rajvardhan Hangargekar/Vijay Shankar/ Shivam Mavi | Indian pace all-rounder |
| Liam Livingstone/Wanindu Hasaranga/ Wiaan Mulder/Michael Bracewell | Foreign all-rounder |
| Venkatesh Iyer/Shaik Rasheed/Prithvi Shaw/ Yash Dhull/Mayank Agarwal | Top-order batter |
| Simarjeet Singh/Kamlesh Nagarkoti/ Chetan Sakariya/Akash Madhwal/ Akash Deep | Indian fast bowler |
| Karn Sharma/Rahul Chahar/ Kumar Kartikeya/Vignesh Puthur | Indian spinner |
Although RCB has 2 wicketkeepers, they’ll need to get at least one Indian backup. The same goes for spinners; they have Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma, but all good teams have great backups. Last year, RCB lost Devdutt Padikkal to injury; the same might happen this year, albeit to another player. That is why they’ll need backup top-order and middle-order batters.
RCB might buy back Liam Livingstone at a cheaper cost, but they have other foreign options as well. The defending champions can also get a couple of Indian all-rounders if they fail to acquire a big name.
The post RCB strategy for IPL auction 2026: Eyes set on Venkatesh Iyer & Matheesha Pathirana? appeared first on Inside Sport India.
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