Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) clinched their maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title in 2025, defeating Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the final to lift the trophy
for the first time in their 17-year history. Under the captaincy of Rajat Patidar, RCB’s campaign was powered by standout performers such as Virat Kohli, Josh Hazlewood, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma, and Phil Salt. The team’s dominance in away matches and balanced squad composition made them a formidable unit through and through.
Looking to defend their title, RCB entered the IPL 2026 mini-auction with a purse of INR 16.4 crore. Ahead of the auction, the franchise released a handful of players, including Liam Livingstone, Lungi Ngidi, Swastik Chikara, Mayank Agarwal, Tim Seifert, Manoj Bhandage, Blessing Muzarabani, and Mohit Rathee. Of these, the release of England all-rounder was the most significant, as he had been a key contributor in previous campaigns.
RCB Squad Comparison: IPL 2025 vs IPL 2026
RCB’s strategy for IPL 2026 focused on retaining their core squad while adding a few impactful players. The team acquired Venkatesh Iyer, Jacob Duffy, Jordan Cox, and several young talents like Mangesh Yadav, Satvik Deswal, Vicky Ostwal, Vihaan Malhotra, and Kanishk Chouhan. These additions are expected to integrate smoothly into the existing setup, ensuring continuity while strengthening key areas.
Comparing the 2025 and 2026 squads, RCB appears even better equipped this season. The core remains largely intact, with a mix of experienced campaigners and promising youngsters providing depth across batting, bowling, and all-round departments. With this well-balanced squad, the Bengaluru-based franchise not only aims to defend their title but also seeks to become only the third IPL team in history to achieve back-to-back championships.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL 2026 Squad
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, Venkatesh Iyer, Jacob Duffy, Mangesh Yadav, Satvik Deswal, Jordan Cox, Vicky Ostwal, Vihaan Malhotra, Kanishk Chouhan
