The defending champions, Royal Challengers Bangalore, have finalized their list of retained and released players for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction. The auction is scheduled to take place on December 16 in Abu Dhabi, and as per the deadline on November 15, all 10 franchises have submitted their final squads to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Among the players released by RCB are Swastik Chikara, Mayank Agarwal, Liam Livingstone, Manoj Bhandage, Lungi Ngidi, Blessing Muzarabani, and Mohit Rathee. On the other hand, the franchise has retained players like Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Krunal Pandya, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, among others.
Head coach Andy Flower expressed his satisfaction with retaining a strong core of the team, highlighting their recent success and outstanding cricket performances. Flower acknowledged the players being released and expressed his understanding of their contributions to the team.
With a purse of Rs. 16.40 crore and 8 slots left (including 2 overseas players), RCB will be looking to strengthen their squad further during the upcoming auction. Flower emphasized the importance of the upcoming tournaments, such as the SMAT (Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy), in shaping the team’s strategy for the next IPL season.
Published on Nov 15, 2025, the news of RCB’s retained and released players sets the stage for an exciting auction as teams gear up for the IPL 2026 season.
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