Table of Contents
When you are the defending champions, the job is usually easier, but the pressure is higher. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally broke the curse and lifted the trophy last season, and now they find themselves in a very comfortable position. Unlike teams scrambling to rebuild, RCB walks into the IPL 2026 Mini Auction with a settled core and a winning formula.
They don't need to reinvent the wheel; they just need to grease it a little to make sure it keeps rolling smoothly. Here is a look at the RCB squad dynamics before they head to the auction table.
RCB Players released
Liam Livingstone, Lungi Ngidi, Mayank Agarwal, Manoj Bhandage, Swastik Chikara, Mohit Rathee
RCB Players retained
Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, Jitesh Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma, Abhinandan Singh, Jacob Bethell, Nuwan Thushara, Rasikh Dar, Swapnil Singh
Auction Purse and Slots
Purse remaining: INR 16.40 crore (Out of INR 125 crore)
Slots remaining: 8 (2 overseas)
Minor tweaks that would make RCB unbeatable in IPL 2026
If you look at RCB’s probable Playing XI for IPL 2026, it is incredibly well-balanced. They have explosive openers, a solid middle order, quality finishers, and a bowling attack that won them the league last year. The starting team is extremely sorted; the main concern for the management now is securing the future and finding reliable backups.
The primary focus will be on the fast bowling department. Josh Hazlewood is a world-class asset, but with the Ashes and T20 World Cup potentially clogging his calendar, his workload will be immense. RCB desperately needs a quality overseas backup who can step in if Hazlewood needs a rest. A tall, hit-the-deck bowler like William O'Rourke could be the perfect replacement to target.
There are concerns with the Indian pacers as well. Yash Dayal hasn't played any competitive cricket since the IPL 2025 final, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, while legendary, is getting older. Relying solely on them without a safety net is risky.
Finally, while Suyash Sharma has done a decent job, he remains a slight weak link in an otherwise formidable unit. With INR 16.40 crore in the bank, RCB has the freedom to bid for a premium spinner. Someone like Ravi Bishnoi would be a fantastic addition to challenge Suyash and tighten that spin department.
If they can snatch up a couple of these targeted players, the defending champions will have every chance of creating history and going back-to-back.
