The excitement around the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) is at an all-time high after their historic maiden title win in 2025. As the countdown to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction begins, every fan’s eyes are on the RCB Retained & Released Players List for IPL 2026. RCB has now revealed which players they will keep and which they will let go. In this article, we break down the full list, examine the team’s strategy, and highlight what this means for RCB’s chances in 2026.
Why Retention List Matters for RCB and Fans
Prior to the auction, each IPL franchise needs to submit a list of players retained and released by them. Here, decisions determine the heart of the team — who stays and who goes, how much purse money is left to bid at auction. To a champion team like RCB, the retention list isn’t just about keeping intact winning combinations but being adaptive enough to upgrade in the weaker areas.
For RCB fans and supporters, the “RCB Retained & Released Players List for IPL 2026” presents clarity on the future roadmap of their favourite team: who will be taking the reins, who gets another go at it and who is going home.
RCB’s Approach in 2026: Stability Over Overhaul
AFTER YEARS OF despair, RCB’s 2025 victory has finally gifted them some stability. With the IPL 2026 auction looming, the team will rely heavily on their title-winning core. According to reports, RCB have retained 17 players from their squad of the 2025 season while releasing a few.
It is a move that speaks of clear strategy: trust in the players who had taken them to success, minimise disruption and merely fine-tune. RCB have ₹16.4 crore in purse coming into the auction – good enough to take care of filling remaining slots and may be also for a couple of impact players as well.
Full List: Retained and Released Players
Check out: RCB Retained & Released Players List for IPL 2026. It reveals who stays, who goes and who gets a reset. Compiled from various reliable sources.
RCB Retained Players (2026)
| Player | Role / Notes |
|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | Star batter, central to RCB’s batting core |
| Rajat Patidar (C) | Captain and middle-order bat anchor |
| Devdutt Padikkal | Young batter — adds depth to top/middle order |
| Phil Salt | Overseas batter, aggressive at top order |
| Jitesh Sharma | Wicketkeeper-batter, good lower-middle order option |
| Tim David | Overseas all-rounder / finisher option |
| Jacob Bethell | Young overseas prospect — potential future core |
| Josh Hazlewood | Premier overseas fast bowler — important for pace attack |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Experienced Indian pacer — death overs / swing bowling option |
| Yash Dayal | Indian pacer — adds depth to pace resources |
| Rasikh Salam Dar | Spinner / lower-order bowling option |
| Suyash Sharma | Young spinner — depth in spin bowling |
| Swapnil Singh | Domestic player — backing up batting/bowling bench strength |
| Romario Shepherd | Overseas all-rounder / bowling-batting utility option |
| Nuwan Thushara | Overseas bowling support — flexible seam option |
| Abhinandan Singh | Young Indian talent for bench / backup role |
Thus, RCB’s retained list reflects a balanced mix of experience, youth, Indian core, and overseas firepower.
RCB Released Players (2026)
| Player | Role / Why Released (or Speculated) |
|---|---|
| Liam Livingstone | Overseas all-rounder/hitter — dropped after a disappointing 2025 performance |
| Lungi Ngidi | Overseas pacer — mostly reserve, limited impact in 2025 |
| Swastik Chikara | Young uncapped batter — not selected into retained core |
| Mayank Agarwal | Replacement batter (for injury) — not retained for 2026 |
| Tim Seifert | Overseas wicketkeeper-batter — released ahead of auction |
| Manoj Bhandage | Domestic uncapped all-rounder — let go in 2026 list |
| Mohit Rathee | Spinner (uncapped) — released before auction |
| Blessing Muzarabani | Overseas pace bowling option — released |
By letting go of these players, RCB frees up funds in their auction purse (₹16.4 Cr) — money that can be used to strengthen the squad further.
What the Retention Decisions Tell Us: RCB’s 2026 Strategy
1. Stick With the Winning Core
RCB retaining star players like Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar and other match-winners is an indication that the team management has trust in the set of men who have recently gone on to lay its hands on silverware for the first time. Continuing to hold onto our core batting and bowling assets would provide continuity and stability – exactly what was needed after the 2025 success.
2. Mix of Experience and Youth
With players like Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Phil Salt retained for overseas and domestic depth — plus younger guns like Jacob Bethell, Suyash Sharma and Abhinandan Singh staying on within the squad (not to mention the choice of an RTM card) — RCB appear to be balancing immediate firepower with long-term grooming.
3. Flexibility for Auction Strategy
By shedding dross (poor overseas, fringe domestic players) RCB have got themselves a decent purse for the players auction – ₹ 16.4 Cr. That gives them the flexibility to go after two or three players: big-impact, perhaps a level down but still big impact (at least, they hope), and also a solid middle tier without disrupting the core.
4. Bowler-Heavy Retention: Focusing on Balance
Having picked up both fast bowlers (Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar, Yash Dayal, Nuwan Thushara) and spinners (Rasikh, Suyash), RCB have shown they want to retain bowling resources. This balanced arrangement of the composition of the squad is a clever play for various match conditions — types of pitches, foreign tours and death overs.
Potential Risks and What to Watch Out For
- Dependency on aging stars: There are experienced retained players such as Bhuvneshwar Kumar who might be past their prime and what they do in 2026 is going to count big time.
- The overseas quota conundrum: After retaining more than a few foreigners including Josh Hazlewood, Phil Salt, Tim David, Jacob Bethelli Nuwan Thusharai and Romario Shepherd RCB might find cramps in their final XI and they need to balance the act of picking foreign recruits and give fillip to local content.
- Backup roles uncertainty: By releasing so many uncapped/unproven players, depth in the reserves takes a hit — in case of injuries and if overseas players aren’t available, RCB might have to be smart in buying backups.
- Auction market competition: With the purse available, RCB will have to be smart in auction — overpaying for one big name may distort balance.
What Fans Should Expect Ahead of Auction
Fans following RCB’s movements behind the scenes can keep an eye on what is likely to happen in the next few weeks:
- RCB may look to solidify some weak areas with a few impact players — overseas pacer, middle-order bat or a spin-bowling all-rounder (based on auction) squad such.
- Beware of auction grapevines: RCB might just spend to find multiple value buys rather than high-priced purchases.
- It would be legitimate to anticipate a final 18-20 man squad that’s stacked with overseas talent and plenty of promising domestic options, although final XI selections will depend on form, fitness and scheduling.
Why This Season’s Retention May Shape RCB’s Future
The “RCB Retained & Released Players List for IPL 2026” tells about not only what the management has decided to do in terms of purchase players — but a hint or vision for next season. By retaining a mix of youth and experience, RCB is pinning its hopes on stability for itself.
Play their cards right in the auction, remain fit as a team and, manage chemistry well, RCB can be as good for multiple seasons – not just a one-time champion. For fans, this continuity means more fun, more predictability and an increasing probability of watching RCB at the top two seasons in a row.
Quick Summary
- List of 17 Players Retained By RCB And Cuts Eight Ahead Of IPL 2026.
- Big names retained: Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Phil Salt, Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and plenty of young hopefuls.
- The Australians and uncapped players on the release list are Liam Livingstone, Lungi Ngidi, Swastik Chikara, Mayank Agarwal among others respectively.
- With ₹16.4 crore in the kitty, RCB has enough to reinforce in a big way.
- According to reports, the approach looks currently as if it will focus on stability and team balance, plus flexibility rather than nuclear options.
Conclusion
The “RCB Retained & Released Players List for IPL 2026” would certainly instill clarity and confidence. The franchise has also decided to capitalize on their tournament win by retaining a strong core, achieving a balance in batting and bowling and leaving enough elbow room for them to target any areas of weakness.
If all goes to plan, RCB are very well-positioned not just to defend their title but cultivate a sustainable winning unit over a long period of time. 2026 also might be another exciting season for fans of the Red Army.
FAQs – RCB Retained & Released Players List for IPL 2026
Q. How many players have RCB retained in IPL 2026?
A. For IPL 2026, RCB has retained 17 cricketers. The franchise has opted to stay with the same strong group of players who did well in previous seasons.
Q. Who are the biggies RCB retained for IPL 2026?
A. Key players such as Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Phil Salt, Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have been retained by RCB for IPL 2026.
Q. Which are the key players released by RCB before IPL 2026?
A. The big names who have been released are Liam Livingstone, Lungi Ngidi, Mayank Agarwal and Tim Seifert. These decisions were to open up some purse space for the auction.
Q. What is the remaining purse money with RCB in IPL 2026 auction?
A. RCB now have approximately ₹16.4 crore in their purse for the IPL 2026 mini-auction and it will allow them to plug some gaps in the side.
Q. Why did RCB release some foreign players?
A. RCB have let go some overseas players due to combinations, lack of playing time and to bolster areas that needed prioritising for the new campaign.
