Defending champion Royal Challengers Bengaluru has confirmed its full list of retained and released players before the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction. The auction is set to take place on December 16 in Abu Dhabi. As required, all 10 franchises submitted their final squads to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) before the November 15 deadline. RCB, coming off a strong season, has made several important decisions to build a balanced and competitive team for the upcoming edition.
The franchise has released a mix of local and international players to free up space and adjust its team combination. At the same time, it has kept its core strong by retaining senior players, young talent, and match-winners across departments. With a remaining purse of Rs. 16.40 crore, RCB will enter the auction with enough spending power to fill key gaps and add depth to its squad.
RCB Releases Eight Players, Retains Strong Core for IPL 2026
Royal Challengers Bengaluru has released eight players ahead of the 2026 season. The list includes Swastik Chikara, Mayank Agarwal, Tim Seifert, Liam Livingstone, Manoj Bhandage, Lungi Ngidi, Blessing Muzarabani, and Mohit Rathee. These players were part of the wider squad last season but did not fit into RCB’s updated strategy for the new campaign. The decision opens up opportunities for the team to target fresh names in the auction.
On the other hand, the franchise has retained a powerful core group led by captain Rajat Patidar. The retained list includes star batter Virat Kohli, opener Devdutt Padikkal, wicketkeeper Phil Salt, and Jitesh Sharma. All-rounders Krunal Pandya and Swapnil Singh also stay, along with power-hitter Tim David and West Indies all-rounder Romario Shepherd. Young talent like Jacob Bethell, Abhinandan Singh, and Suyash Sharma continues with the side.
In the bowling department, RCB has kept its experienced attack intact. Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Nuwan Thushara, and Rasikh Salam remain part of the squad. Their presence gives the team a solid mix of pace, swing, and new-ball options.
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With Rs. 16.40 crore left in the purse, Royal Challengers Bengaluru will look to strengthen key areas during the Abu Dhabi auction. The defending champions are expected to target backup overseas players, a finishing batter, and possibly an additional spinner to complete their 2026 lineup.
