Royal Challengers Bengaluru team management at Tata IPL Auction. Photo Credit: BCCI/IPL Photo
Royal Challengers Bengaluru didn’t make any wild moves in the 2026 auction since they already had a championship team from the previous year. Their roster now features solid batting, good bowling depth and promising young players for the future. In short, RCB seems ready not only to defend their title but also to kick off a new era of victories in the IPL.
Photo Credit: BCCI/IPL Photo
Auction Overview
| Category | Details |
| Auction Date | 16 December 2025 (Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi) |
| Total Purse (₹) | 125 crore |
| Amount Spent (₹) | 124.75 crore |
| Amount Remaining (₹) | 24 lakh |
| RTM Remaining | 0 (no Right-to-Match cards left) |
| Total Players in Squad | 25 (full squad) |
| Overseas Players | 8 (maximum allowed) |
| Biggest Buy | Venkatesh Iyer – ₹7 crore (All-rounder, India) |
RCB entered the IPL 2026 auction with a salary cap of ₹125 crore. They had already retained 17 key players for about ₹108.6 crore after clinching the 2025 title. This left them with ₹16.40 crore to utilize in Abu Dhabi. They spent ₹16.16 crore on 8 new signings leaving just ₹24 lakh in their purse. Their most significant acquisition was Venkatesh Iyer whom they signed for ₹7 crore.
Players Bought at Auction: IPL 2026
| Player | Role | Base Price (₹) | Final Bid (₹) |
| Venkatesh Iyer | All‑rounder | 2 crore | 7 crore |
| Jacob Duffy (Overseas) | Bowler | 2 crore | 2 crore |
| Satvik Deswal | All‑rounder | 30 lakh | 30 lakh |
| Mangesh Yadav | All‑rounder | 30 lakh | 5.2 crore |
| Jordan Cox (Overseas) | Wicketkeeper | 75 lakh | 75 lakh |
| Vicky Ostwal | All‑rounder | 30 lakh | 30 lakh |
| Vihaan Malhotra | All‑rounder | 30 lakh | 30 lakh |
| Kanishk Chouhan | All‑rounder | 30 lakh | 30 lakh |
During the IPL 2026 auction, RCB made a notable purchase by acquiring Venkatesh Iyer for ₹7 crore. They also made clever additions like Mangesh Yadav, Jacob Duffy and Jordan Cox. With these signings RCB finalized a 25‑member squad featuring 8 internationals while preserving their championship core and adding depth to defend the title.
Players Retained Before Auction: IPL 2026
| Player | Role (Official) | Salary (₹) |
| Abhinandan Singh | Bowler | 30 lakh |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Bowler | 10.75 crore |
| Devdutt Padikkal | Batter | 2 crore |
| Jacob Bethell (Overseas) | Batter | 2.6 crore |
| Jitesh Sharma | Wicket-keeper | 11 crore |
| Josh Hazlewood (Overseas) | Bowler | 12.5 crore |
| Krunal Pandya | All‑rounder | 5.75 crore |
| Nuwan Thushara (Overseas) | Bowler | 1.6 crore |
| Phil Salt (Overseas) | Wicket-keeper | 11.5 crore |
| Rajat Patidar (C) | Batter | 11 crore |
| Rasikh Salam | Bowler | 6 crore |
| Romario Shepherd (Overseas) | All‑rounder | 1.5 crore |
| Suyash Sharma | Bowler | 2.6 crore |
| Swapnil Singh | All‑rounder | 50 lakh |
| Tim David (Overseas) | Batter | 3 crore |
| Virat Kohli | Batter | 21 crore |
| Yash Dayal | Bowler | 5 crore |
Royal Challengers Bengaluru entered the IPL 2026 auction with 17 members of their title‑winning squad still retained. The list is led by Virat Kohli and captain Rajat Patidar while international talents like Josh Hazlewood and Phil Salt provide additional balance. Experienced Indians such as Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jitesh Sharma and Krunal Pandya bring proven strength. With young talents like Yash Dayal and Suyash Sharma, RCB ensured depth across batting, pace and spin.
