Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), the defending IPL 2025 champions, retained 17 players from their title-winning squad for IPL 2026 to maintain continuity under captain Rajat Patidar. Virat Kohli headlines the core alongside overseas stars like Phil Salt and Josh Hazlewood, with strategic releases of underperformers like Liam Livingstone and Lungi Ngidi.
Retained Players
RCB's full retained list: Rajat Patidar (c), Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Jacob Bethell, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Nuwan Thushara, Rasikh Dar Salam, Abhinandan Singh, Suyash Sharma.
Key Roles
| Role | Key Players |
|---|---|
| Batters | Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Tim David |
| Wicketkeepers | Jitesh Sharma, Phil Salt |
| All-rounders | Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, Jacob Bethell |
| Bowlers | Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar |
With ₹16.4 Cr purse remaining, RCB released six players including Mayank Agarwal ahead of the mini-auction to fine-tune their championship formula.
RCB's retention graphic emphasizes Kohli and Patidar as the backbone of their title defense.
