Royal Challengers Bengaluru enter the IPL 2026 mini-auction as the defending champions, armed with a settled core and limited room for experimentation. With a purse of Rs 16.40 crore, eight slots available, and only two overseas vacancies, RCB’s strategy is expected to focus on depth and insurance rather than headline buys.
RCB squad overview
Probable playing XII:
Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (captain), Tim David, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma, Yash Dayal
Other squad members:
Rasikh Dar, Abhinandan Singh, Swapnil Singh, Jacob Bethell, Nuwan Thushara
What Royal Challengers Bengaluru need at the auction
With a championship-winning core already in place, RCB’s auction will be about risk management. The biggest concern revolves around Josh Hazlewood’s fitness. While the Australian quick remains central to RCB’s bowling plans, his recurring injury issues mean the franchise is almost certain to use one of its two overseas slots on a fast bowler with a similar skill set. Despite having Nuwan Thushara in the squad, RCB may still prefer a taller, hit-the-deck seamer who can operate with the new ball and in the middle overs.
Another area to watch is left-arm pace depth. Yash Dayal has not featured in competitive cricket since the IPL final earlier this year. Although he remains a retained player, RCB could look to add a domestic left-arm seamer as cover in case Dayal is unavailable or eased back into action.
Batting depth is the other notable gap. With the releases of Mayank Agarwal, Manoj Bhandage, and Swastik Chikara, RCB currently lack backup Indian batters, particularly those who can slot into the top or middle order in case of injuries or loss of form. Given their limited purse, RCB are likely to target experienced domestic batters who can provide reliability without disrupting the balance of the XI.
Potential targets for Royal Challengers Bengaluru
RCB’s focus is expected to be on value buys rather than marquee names:
- Lungi Ngidi – overseas pace backup with experience in Indian conditions
- Alzarri Joseph – high-pace option who can cover Hazlewood’s role
- Taskin Ahmed – new-ball specialist with control and bounce
- Spencer Johnson – left-arm overseas pace alternative
- Sarfaraz Khan – experienced Indian batter to bolster middle-order depth
- Deepak Hooda – versatile Indian batting option who can offer secondary bowling
Auction outlook
Royal Challengers Bengaluru are unlikely to be among the loudest teams in the auction room. With a stable core, leadership continuity under Rajat Patidar, and match-winners already in place, their priority will be building reliable backups, especially in pace bowling and Indian batting depth. If RCB manage to secure the right reinforcements without overspending, they will enter IPL 2026 as one of the most balanced and prepared sides in the competition.
