Royal Challengers Bengaluru is entering IPL 2026 as the defending champions, but this season will be very different from last season. RCB will not play at its traditional home M. Chinnaswamy Stadium due to security concerns. Instead, their home leg will be split between Raipur and Navi Mumbai. Despite this, the Rajat Patidar-led side enters the season having won their first IPL title in 2025 and will be eager to defend it.
RCB retained 17 players; They entered the auction with eight vacant slots and a purse of Rs 16.40 crore, one of the lower budgets among the teams. They released some big names, including Liam Livingstone and Lungi Ngidi as well as Manoj Bhandage, Mayank Agarwal, Mohit Rathi and Sachin Baby. RCB signed eight players in the auction in Abu Dhabi. Buying all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer for Rs 7 crore made headlines, finally securing the player they had chased so hard in the previous auction. He also included Jacob Duffy as fast bowling cover, Mangesh Yadav and Jordan Cox as left-arm fast bowling options.
Strength
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The biggest strength of RCB is team balance. Most of their title-winning eleven remains the same, reducing the risk of combination issues at the start of the season. The batting corps of Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar and Tim David has covered all the bases. The addition of Venkatesh Iyer strengthens the Indian batting core and provides flexibility at No. 3 or No. 4 along with a seam-bowling option if needed.
In bowling, Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are set to once again form a lethal pace duo and will continue from where they left off. RCB also has many all-rounders like Krunal Pandya and Romario Shepherd, who help them create the right combination.
weaknesses
RCB's main weakness is their fast bowling fitness concerns. Josh Hazlewood's injury history remains a major concern for the defending champions, and Yash Dayal has not played competitive cricket for a long time. While Jacob Duffy and Mangesh Yadav are seen as cover, they lack IPL experience. Any prolonged injuries to the first-choice fast bowlers could expose this depth.
Another concern is the lack of a clear second-row spinner. Suyyash Sharma has been impressive, but it is not right to say whether he will be able to repeat his performance like last year or not. Furthermore, RCB is relying on part-time or defensive spin options. This could be an issue on slow pitches like Raipur. If there is a dip in form or the workload needs to be managed, RCB may struggle to find a similar replacement.
opportunity
Playing home matches in Raipur and Navi Mumbai provides a different opportunity for RCB. Unlike Chinnaswamy, these positions are less conducive to batting, which could help RCB's bowling unit, especially the fast bowlers who rely on movement. If RCB adapt faster than the opponents, this venue change could work in their favour.
Venkatesh Iyer also has a strong opportunity to revive his IPL career. With less pressure than his previous high price tag, he can play a freer role and become a key contributor. Young players like Mangesh Yadav, Jordan Cox and Suyyash Sharma have a chance to establish themselves under a strong leadership group.
threats
The biggest danger for MI is their over-dependence on their senior players. Rohit, de Kock, Boult and Santner are all on the wrong side of 30. Any dip in form could affect MI's performance. Notably, other teams have strong benches. MI's limited auction spending has left them short of similar replacements.
The biggest threat for RCB is the challenge of defending the title. Historically, IPL champions have struggled to repeat the success as rivals closely understand their strengths. RCB will have to face the best plans of every team. The absence of Chinnaswamy Stadium is another big threat. RCB's home dominance was built around familiar conditions and strong crowd support. Neutral spaces can reduce that psychological edge.
Royal Challengers Bangalore team for IPL 2026
Rajat Patidar (captain), Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Jacob Bethel, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Nuwan Thushara, Rasikh Salaam, Abhinandan Singh, Suyyash Sharma, Venkatesh Iyer, Mangesh Yadav, Jacob Duffy, Satwik Deswal, Jordan Cox, Vihaan Malhotra. Kanishk Chauhan, Vicky Ostwal
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