IPL Auction 2026: Defending champions RCB shop smart with ₹16.4 crore purse

Royal Challengers Bengaluru stepped into the IPL Auction 2026 in Abu Dhabi with a relatively tight purse, following a season of calculated releases aimed at fine-tuning a title-winning core. Unlike teams like Kolkata and Chennai who entered with rebuild mode, RCB were expected to make selective moves at the auction table rather than chase marquee names.

RCB acquired Indian all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer and New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy in the auction for Rs seven crores and Rs two crores respectively.

RCB enter IPL 2026 as defending champions, having lifted their maiden IPL trophy in 2025 after 18 seasons. The title run marked a shift in the franchise’s approach, built on balance rather than individual brilliance. However, with the league designed to reset squads every cycle, RCB arrived at the auction aware that sustaining success would require precise decision-making rather than wholesale change.


Ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, RCB retained 17 of its players and released several high-cost players, including Liam Livingstone, Lungi Ngidi, Mayank Agarwal, Tim Seifert and Blessing Muzarabani, freeing up purse space and overseas slots. Those releases left RCB with ₹16.4 crore to spend at the auction, with eight slots to fill, including two overseas positions.

RCB were expected to target a strike fast bowler, a wicket-taking spinner and a middle-order batting option who can finish games, to replace the roles vacated by the released players.

IPL Auction: Players bought by RCB

RCB picked Venkatesh Iyer as their first buy from the IPL Auction at ₹7 crore, following a bidding contest with GT and LSG.

They then bought Jacob Duffy at ₹2 crore, strengthening their bowling and batting departments.

Complete RCB Squad after IPL Auction 2026

• Venkatesh Iyer (₹7 crore)
• Mangesh Yadav (₹5.2 crore)
• Jacob Duffy (₹2 crore)
• Jordan Cox (₹75 lakh)
• Kanishk Chouhan (₹30 lakh)
• Vihaan Malhotra (₹30 lakh)
• Vicky Ostwal (₹30 lakh)
• Satvik Deswal (₹30 lakh)
• Virat Kohli (retained)
• Rajat Patidar (retained)
• Devdutt Padikkal (retained)
• Phil Salt (retained)
• Jitesh Sharma (retained)
• Krunal Pandya (retained)
• Josh Hazlewood (retained)
• Bhuvneshwar Kumar (retained)
• Yash Dayal (retained)
• Suyash Sharma (retained)
• Rasikh Dar (retained)
• Manoj Bhandage (retained)
• Swastik Chikara (retained)