Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru entered the auction in Abu Dhabi with calm confidence, looking to add specific pieces to their title-winning puzzle rather than overhaul the squad. However, they found themselves in the middle of a familiar high-stakes drama. Sparking a rematch of last year's intense bidding war, KKR and RCB locked horns once again for Indian all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer. But this time, the result was different. RCB held their nerve and outbid their rivals, snapping up Iyer for ₹7 crore to bolster their lower-middle order with his power-hitting.
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Beyond the headline buy, RCB made some shrewd and surprising moves to strengthen their bowling attack. They secured the services of New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy for a steal at ₹2 crore. Duffy, currently the world-ranked No. 2 T20I bowler, adds world-class quality to their pace attack. In a move that caught many off guard, the franchise also dropped a surprise ₹5.20 crore on uncapped Madhya Pradesh all-rounder Mangesh Yadav, betting big on his raw potential. With smart budget additions like England's Jordan Cox and young talents Satvik Deswal and Vicky Ostwal, RCB looks well-equipped to defend their crown.
RCB Squad for IPL 2026
Retained: Rajat Patidar (c), Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Jacob Bethell, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Nuwan Thushara, Rasikh Salam, Abhinandan Singh, Suyash Sharma.
Bought at Auction: Venkatesh Iyer (₹7.00 crore), Mangesh Yadav (₹5.20 crore), Jacob Duffy (₹2.00 crore), Jordan Cox (₹75 lakh), Satvik Deswal (₹30 lakh), Kanishk Chouhan (₹30 lakh), Vihaan Malhotra (₹30 lakh), Vicky Ostwal (₹30 lakh).
Purse Remaining: ₹25 Lakh Slots Remaining: 0
