RCB 2026 Retentions: Retained & Released Players List of Royal Challengers Bengaluru Ahead of IPL 2026 Auction
RCB retain their champion core, release Livingstone, and enter the IPL 2026 mini auction with a purse of ₹16.40 crore
Royal Challengers Bengaluru have chosen stability over big changes as they head into the IPL 2026 mini auction. As defending champions, the franchise has kept most of its title winning squad together. Captain Rajat Patidar, Virat Kohli, and Josh Hazlewood lead the list of key retentions.
RCB kept their main batting group untouched. Patidar, Kohli, and Devdutt Padikkal stay at the top. Phil Salt and Jitesh Sharma continue as wicketkeeping options. The all rounders also remain steady with Krunal Pandya, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Swapnil Singh, and Jacob Bethell offering depth across departments.
The bowling group stays strong with Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Nuwan Thushara, Rasikh Salam, and youngsters like Abhinandan Singh and Suyash Sharma. This core helped RCB lift their first IPL trophy and the management has backed them again.
The biggest surprise on the released list is Liam Livingstone. The English all rounder had a quiet season and his exit opens up a heavy salary slot and an overseas vacancy. Mayank Agarwal, Lungi Ngidi, Blessing Muzarabani, and Tim Seifert were also let go as part of the reshuffle.
RCB now enter the auction with ₹16.40 crore. This gives them more space than most teams to chase a finisher, an extra fast bowler, or a power hitter in the middle overs. With Livingstone gone, a like for like overseas all rounder could be high on their list.
Off the field, the franchise is dealing with uncertainty. The Chinnaswamy Stadium has been declared unsafe after a stampede. This means RCB may need to move their home games for the 2026 season. There are also questions around ownership, which the team hopes to resolve before the season starts.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Retained Player List For IPL 2026
| Player | Role | Price (₹) |
|---|---|---|
| Rajat Patidar (C) | Batter | 11 crore |
| Virat Kohli | Batter | 21 crore |
| Devdutt Padikkal | Batter | 2 crore |
| Phil Salt | Wicketkeeper-batter | 11.50 crore |
| Jitesh Sharma | Wicketkeeper-batter | 11 crore |
| Krunal Pandya | All-rounder | 5.75 crore |
| Swapnil Singh | All-rounder | 50 lakh |
| Tim David | All-rounder | 3 crore |
| Romario Shepherd | All-rounder | 1.50 crore |
| Jacob Bethell | All-rounder | 2.60 crore |
| Josh Hazlewood | Bowler | 12.50 crore |
| Yash Dayal | Bowler | 5 crore |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Bowler | 10.75 crore |
| Nuwan Thushara | Bowler | 1.60 crore |
| Rasikh Salam | Bowler | 6 crore |
| Abhinandan Singh | Bowler | 30 lakh |
| Suyash Sharma | Bowler | 2.60 crore |
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Released Player List Ahead of IPL 2026 Auction
| Player | Role | Price (₹) |
|---|---|---|
| Swastik Chikara | Batter | 30 Lakh |
| Mayank Agarwal | Batter | 1 Crore |
| Tim Seifert | Wicketkeeper-batter | 2 Crore |
| Liam Livingstone | All-rounder | 8.75 Crore |
| Manoj Bhandage | All-rounder | 30 Lakh |
| Lungi Ngidi | Bowler | 1 Crore |
| Blessing Muzarabani | Bowler | 75 Lakhs |
| Mohit Rathee | Bowler | 30 Lakh |
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) IPL 2026 Remaining Purse
Royal Challengers Bengaluru now have ₹16.4 crore remaining in their purse for the IPL 2026 mini-auction
