Anil Kumble Raises Doubts Over Venkatesh Iyer Role In RCB IPL 2026 Setup

Indian legend Anil Kumble has sparked doubts over the selection of Venkatesh Iyer by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru for IPL 2026. He feels that Iyer might not be a suitable fit for the defending champions’ strongest playing XI ahead of the new season. Despite RCB pushing hard for Iyer at the auction this year and eventually securing him for INR 7 crore, the former India captain believes that the existing depth and balance of the squad might restrict Iyer from featuring in the XI in the initial few matches.

This is not the first time that RCB has shown interest in the Madhya Pradesh player, as they were involved in a bidding war with KKR for Iyer last year as well. KKR eventually grabbed Venky for INR 23.75 crore, but his performance this year was underwhelming. In seven innings, Iyer managed to hit only 142 runs at an average of over 20, a strike rate of almost 140, with just one half-century to his name.

Anil Kumble Offers His Take on RCB IPL 2026 Strategy

While speaking on JioHotstar’s IPL Auction Review with expert Sanjay Bangar and RCB head coach Andy Flower, Anil Kumble hinted that Iyer could begin the season warming the bench as RCB will look to maintain balance in their combination. He also highlighted the franchise’s measured auction strategy that allowed them to secure the all-rounder without engaging in an aggressive bidding war with any other team.

“Venkatesh Iyer will not be in the playing eleven at the start. You do not want to create doubt in a winning team. That is probably why they did not go after a Ravi Bishnoi, so that Suyash Sharma does not feel threatened by a senior India spinner”, Kumble said.

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Anil Kumble Praised RCB for Backing Their Players

Kumble also applauded Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s squad-building approach, highlighting how the franchise focused on continuity while quietly strengthening its bench strength.

“They have done well to keep the core the same, back their players, and just have a few backups just in case something goes wrong. Jacob Duffy will be a backup for Josh Hazlewood, and Jordan Cox is a like-for-like replacement for Phil Salt. Mangesh Yadav comes in as a backup for Yash Dayal. He is a left-arm seamer with a lot of potential, though he has not played much cricket.”

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