They have a purse of INR 16.40 crore to fill the remaining eight spots in the squad.
The defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), will enter the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction with one of the most settled squads. With a purse of INR 16.40 crore, the RCB top priorities will be to fill the remaining gaps.
Ahead of the auction, on the retention deadline day, they retained 17 players from their title-winning season. They now have to fill eight slots, including two overseas. Let’s look at what RCB top priorities will be in the IPL 2026 auction.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru have most of their bases covered, as they have kept their core and will mainly look to add backups in the auction. The top RCB priorities will be an overseas middle-order batter, an Indian middle-order batter, and a backup for Josh Hazlewood.
David Miller – The South African batter was released by Lucknow Super Giants after a disappointing season. David Miller could be one of the RCB target players, as he would add strength to their middle order. In the IPL, he has scored 3077 runs in 135 innings with an average of 35.77 and a strike rate of 138.60.
Sikandar Raza – The Zimbabwe all-rounder has scored 1184 runs in T20Is in 2025 and has also taken 46 wickets. In the recent Tri-nation T20I series between Zimbabwe, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, Raza scored 141 runs and took three wickets in four matches. He can be one of the RCB targets for the overseas middle-order batter role.
Michael Bracewell – The New Zealand all-rounder Michael Bracewell could be one of the RCB target players after Liam Livingstone’s release. He offers spin bowling and middle-order batting, and he has played for RCB before in 2023, taking six wickets in five games. His left-handed batting would also add balance to the lineup.
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Venkatesh Iyer – Former KKR player Venkatesh Iyer could be one of the RCB target players. He was released by KKR on the retention deadline day. RCB need a middle-order batter, and they had shown interest in him during the 2025 auction. His connection with RCB captain Rajat Patidar and mentor Dinesh Karthik could also improve his chances.
R Rajkumar – The Tamil Nadu all-rounder could be one of the RCB targets for an Indian middle-order option. R Rajkumar has impressed several teams and even received trial calls. In the TNPL, he hit 200 runs with a strike rate of 198.
In the ongoing SMAT 2025, he also scored a brilliant 93* off 45 against Uttarakhand while batting at No. 5. In the tournament so far, he has 157 runs from six innings, averaging 39.25 with a strike rate of 168.81.
Jacob Duffy – The New Zealand pacer is ranked No. 2 in the ICC T20I bowlers list. He has been in great form in 2025, taking 35 wickets in 21 T20Is and 21 wickets in 11 ODIs. His form makes him a strong name in the RCB targets.
Matt Henry – Another New Zealand pacer could be a key pick for Royal Challengers Bengaluru after they released Lungi Ngidi, as RCB need an overseas pacer to back up Josh Hazlewood. Matt Henry’s experience and recent form across leagues and international cricket make him one of the top targets for the IPL 2026 auction.
Mustafizur Rahman – The Bangladesh fast bowler could also be considered a backup for Josh Hazlewood. He has taken 65 wickets in 60 IPL matches, and in 2025, he has been in good form in T20Is, picking up 26 wickets in 20 games.
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