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Updated: November 15, 2025 10:53 PM IST 
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After winning the IPL 2025 trophy, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will enter IPL 2026 as the defending champions. Under the captaincy of Rajat Patidar, the team has built a strong combination, and the management has maintained its confidence in it. Instead of making major changes, the franchise has decided to retain its core players to maintain the team’s balance and rhythm. By releasing some expensive and less effective players, the team has further clarified its strategy ahead of the mini-auction.
RCB’s plan is clear: retain its winning core, improve its bench strength, and make smart purchases based on the team’s needs in the mini-auction. Below is a complete list of RCB’s retained and released players, along with the team’s strategy and available purse.
What are the IPL 2026 Retention Rules?
There will be no mega auction in IPL 2026; instead, a mini-auction will be held, allowing teams better control over their existing players. Franchises can retain or release players based on their budget and team plan, with squads consisting of 18–25 players and total spending capped at Rs 120 crore.
Here is the full list of Retained players by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) –
| S.NO. | NAME | Country |
| 1. | Rajat Patidar (C) | IND |
| 2. | Virat Kohli | IND |
| 3. | Phil Salt | ENG |
| 4. | Jitesh Sharma | IND |
| 5. | Krunal Pandya | IND |
| 6. | Tim David | AUS |
| 7. | Josh Hazlewood | AUS |
| 8. | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | IND |
| 9. | Suyash Sharma | IND |
| 10. | Jacob Bethell | ENG |
| 11. | Swastik Chhikara | IND |
| 12. | Romario Shepherd | WI |
Here is the full list of Released players by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) –
| S.NO. | Name | Reason for Release |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Liam Livingstone | High price, low returns (112 runs in 10 matches) |
| 2. | Blessing Muzarabani | Overseas reshuffle; no game time |
| 3. | Mayank Agarwal | Not in core plans; limited opportunities |
| 5. | Manoj Bhandage | Released to free up domestic slots |
| 6. | Mohit Rathee | Released for squad balance |
How much money will the Royal Challengers Bangalore spend for the IPL 2026 Auction?
RCB has Rs 16.40 Crore remaining for the IPL 2026 mini-auction. This purse will allow them to make necessary changes to the team and add some key players. Bangalore will aim to make strategic purchases and use their budget judiciously to add depth in both the bowling and batting departments.
When is the IPL 2026 Auction?
The IPL 2026 mini-auction will be held in Abu Dhabi on December 16. This is the second consecutive year that the auction will be held outside India. The IPL 2025 auction was held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in 2024.
