Everything went right for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. It all started at the auction table in Jeddah last year. RCB planned the retentions and buys as well as they could. The result is a maiden IPL title run.
This means that come the IPL 2026 auction, there won’t be much chopping and changing. Players, both foreign and Indian, have succeeded in their respective roles. And even the backups have come in and performed.
But RCB might release a couple of players. For starters, they already have two slots they can fill with domestic players. But by releasing two players worth around Rs 15 crore, RCB can further strengthen their squad.
Players RCB might release before IPL 2026 auction
PlayerAttributePriceStatsRasikh Salam DarFast bowlerRs 6 crore1 wicket (2 innings, 70 average, 11.66 economy)Liam LivingstoneAll-rounderRs 8.75 crore112 runs (8 innings, 16 average, 133.33 strike rate) 2 wickets (5 innings, 38 average, 8.44 economy) Cricket 10 mins 4 players Punjab Kings should release before IPL 2026 auctionThe first release will be Rasikh Salam Dar. The talented fast bowler was acquired for Rs 6 crore after an interesting IPL 2024 season. On talent alone, Rs 6 crore was worth it for the Kashmiri pacer. But the result hasn’t been great. Seen as a natural wicket-taker, Rasikh didn’t impress in that department. And he never has been economical and if he can’t take wickets in the middle overs, RCB doesn’t have much use for him.
Liam Livingstone could be the second release. The English all-rounder bowled just 9 overs. And neither his average nor his strike rate was good enough to justify a spot. Had Tim David, Josh Hazlewood, and Jacob Bethell been available for all matches, Livingstone may not have even played 10 matches. RCB can release him and get Rs 8.75 crore back. Then came acquiring another all-rounder or perhaps getting Livingstone back for a cheaper rate.
RCB squad before IPL 2026
Batters: Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Mayank Agarwal, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Swastik ChikaraAll-rounders: Liam Livingstone, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Jacob Bethell, Manoj Bhandage, Mohit RatheeBowlers: Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Lungi Ngidi, Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Dar Salam, Swapnil Singh, Nuwan Thushara, Abhinandan Singh
Why RCB might release just 2 players before IPL 2026 auction Inside Sport India.
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