Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will be the defending champions coming into the IPL 2026 season, following their maiden title win in 2025. Rajat Patidar will be leading RCB this season and the franchise has kept its core intact, adding smart picks in the auction to bolster their squad depth. They went for all-rounders, pace options and backup players to keep balance in departments.
RCB Squad 2026 Overview
| Category | Details |
| Team Name | Royal Challengers Bengaluru |
| League | Indian Premier League 2026 |
| Captain | Rajat Patidar |
| Head Coach | Andy Flower |
| Home Ground | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium |
RCB Squad For IPL 2026 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru
| Player | Role | Price (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | Batter | ₹21.00 Cr |
| Rajat Patidar | Batter (Captain) | ₹11.00 Cr |
| Phil Salt | WK-Batter | ₹11.50 Cr |
| Jitesh Sharma | WK-Batter | ₹11.00 Cr |
| Devdutt Padikkal | Batter | ₹7.75 Cr |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Bowler | ₹10.75 Cr |
| Rasikh Salam | Bowler | ₹6.00 Cr |
| Yash Dayal | Bowler | ₹5.00 Cr |
| Krunal Pandya | All-Rounder | ₹5.75 Cr |
| Tim David | All-Rounder | ₹3.00 Cr |
| Romario Shepherd | All-Rounder | ₹3.50 Cr |
| Suyash Sharma | Bowler | ₹2.60 Cr |
| Jacob Bethell | All-Rounder | ₹2.60 Cr |
| Josh Hazlewood | Bowler | ₹12.50 Cr |
| Nuwan Thushara | Bowler | ₹4.80 Cr |
| Swapnil Singh | All-Rounder | ₹50 L |
| Abhinandan Singh | Bowler | ₹30 L |
| Venkatesh Iyer | All-Rounder | ₹7.00 Cr |
| Mangesh Yadav | All-Rounder | ₹5.20 Cr |
| Jacob Duffy | Bowler | ₹2.00 Cr |
| Jordan Cox | WK-Batter | ₹75 L |
| Satvik Deswal | All-Rounder | ₹30 L |
| Vicky Ostwal | All-Rounder | ₹30 L |
| Kanishk Chouhan | All-Rounder | ₹30 L |
| Vihaan Malhotra | All-Rounder | ₹30 L |
Key Strengths of RCB Squad 2026
1. Strong Batting Line-up
RCB has one of the most explosive batting units in IPL 2026, with players like Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, and Rajat Patidar.
2. All-Rounder Depth
RCB have invested heavily in their bowling and all-rounders like Venkatesh Iyer, Tim David and Romario Shepherd will allow them to be flexible with both bat and ball.
3. Experienced Bowling Attack
Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar bring experience while young bowlers offer depth.
Conclusion
The RCB squad for IPL 2026 is a well-rounded team, featuring a strong core of retained players and shrewd auction acquisitions. RCB are strong contenders to defend their top spot with Rajat Patidar leading the line and Virat Kohli in fine form. If their all-rounders keep performing consistently and bowlers step up a notch under pressure, this team has everything it needs to rule IPL 2026.