They have two overseas spots to fill.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru retained their winning combination ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. They have a settled unit, and the RCB auction 2026 strategy will be about filling up those remaining spots in the squad. As the auction approaches on December 16, we deep dive into RCB target players.
While no major surprises, the RCB released players 2026 list had one big name, Liam Livingstone. The English all-rounder had a disappointing campaign with the bat, and given his price tag, the franchise opted to release him. They let go of a few other players and will look to bring in better resources. We take a look at the RCB auction 2026 strategy, budget, and their potential targets.
Retaining the top stars like Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Tim David, Phil Salt, Josh Hazlewood, and Jitesh Sharma was a no-brainer. The franchise, coached by Andy Flower, also retained the veterans such as Krunal Pandya and Bhuvneshwar Kumar while sticking with youngsters like Rasikh Salam and Jacob Bethell.
Apart from Livingstone, Lungi Ngidi, Mohit Rathee, Manoj Bhandage, and Mayank Agarwal could not make it into the RCB retained players 2026.
ALSO READ: RCB Retained And Released Players 2026
After confirming the IPL retentions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru have a budget of INR 16.40 crore heading into the auction. The RCB remaining purse is the fifth lowest among all teams.
Before we go into the RCB auction 2026 strategy, it is important to understand what their starting XI looks like and what more they require. Looking at the RCB squad 2026, here is what their potential playing XI would be:
As we can see here, the IPL 2025 champions have their starting XI sorted. They released Livingstone, but Shepherd’s presence means they have four overseas starters.
The RCB auction 2026 strategy will be to find quality back-ups for Josh Hazlewood and the middle order role. They also need to get a couple of Indian batters to give themselves more flexibility.
Here are the key RCB targets IPL 2026 auction:
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Considering their remaining purse and requirements, the RCB auction 2026 strategy will be to secure quality back-ups. Here’s a look at some of the top RCB target players in the IPL 2026 auction.
Josh Hazlewood has had fitness troubles in recent years, and he missed quite a few games across formats. With that in mind, RCB could look for a better backup for him than Nuwan Thushara. New Zealand pacer Matt Henry could be on the RCB target players list in the IPL 2026 auction. Henry has been sensational with the ball across conditions and formats.
The South African batter was released by Lucknow Super Giants after a pretty poor campaign. David Miller could be among the RCB target players as he would fit well in that middle order. He was bought by LSG for INR 7.50 crore in the mega auction, and his stocks seem to have fallen further. He should be in the budget for RCB.
The Zimbabwe legend might be one of the RCB targets in the IPL 2026 auction. Sikandar Raza is a superb hitter in the middle order and adds value as a reliable spinner. He was unsold in the previous auction, but given his recent form and the role requirement, RCB can go for him.
Having let go of Mayank Agarwal and other fringe players, RCB will need to find Indian middle-order backups. Vansh Bedi could be in the RCB auction 2026 strategy as someone who is rated highly. He was on the Chennai Super Kings side last season but was let go.
Jacob Duffy is another New Zealand star who could be among the RCB target players. He has done an excellent job in the shorter format and could be on the radar of multiple teams in the IPL 2026 auction.
The 26-year-old all-rounder from Tamil Nadu is a perfect fit among RCB target players. He has five wickets already from four matches of the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025 (SMAT). R Sonu Yadav bats at No.7 or below for some fiery cameos in the tail-end of the innings. He can also offer a couple of overs of pace bowling, a combination that RCB would be keen to experiment with.
Sonu’s elder brother and State compatriot, R Sanjay Yadav, is also an all-rounder. While he isn’t taking part in SMAT, the 30-year-old left his mark in the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) 2025. Sanjay can bat anywhere from No.4 to 7. Against Ravichandran Ashwin’s Dindigul Dragons, he struck an unbeaten 55 off 45 in the Eliminator round. His total tally went up to 196 runs in eight games, at a strike rate of around 117. The slow left-armer also took two wickets in the season.
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