IPL 2026 Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Dream Squad List Prediction

From Virat Kohli to Rajat Patidar, RCB fans, here’s our IPL 2026 dream squad list prediction for Royal Challengers Bengaluru ahead of the mini auction.

18 Years it took for the most talked-about franchise in the history of the Indian Premier League, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, to finally have their hands on the much-coveted IPL trophy. Countless emotions were on display, including that of Virat Kohli, who also waited alongside the franchise to finally win an IPL trophy. Although Virat Kohli couldn’t do it as a Captain, as a player, he was finally rewarded after 18 years of sweat and passion.

With RCB finally getting rid of the monkey on their back, they will begin a new journey in the form of RCB 2.0. It is a team that will enter the 2026 season with supremely high confidence. They have a solid core in place, and will look to retain most of the players. While releasing a few non-performing expensive assets, the team will look to add a few more solid players to the team that will help them fill the gaps.

The IPL 2026 Mini Auction is just a couple of months away, and the next thing RCB will do is finalise their existing core. So, let’s look at the analysis of the existing squad and the players that they would like to add to the squad. Let’s also look at the predicted retentions and the players that they would like to release. Based on this information, we can finally build a dream squad for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for IPL 2026.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Predicted Retentions for IPL 2026

The first thing that the RCB team would like to do is focus on the players they would like to retain. Since RCB already have a solid tournament-winning squad, they would make minimal changes to their existing side. Also, since the upcoming Auction is a Mini Auction, it is not mandatory to retain as many players as they would like. So, based on the existing squad that they have, the RCB team is likely to retain a total of 20 players, including 7 Overseas players.

Now, with 20 expected retentions, who does the RCB team leave out? Well, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) team is expected to axe a few underperforming players. The biggest name among possible releases is Liam Livingstone. Much like Glenn Maxwell, Livingstone has shown little interest in the IPL recently. Considering his high price tag and inconsistent performances, it would be a smart move for RCB to release him and explore better options in the Mini Auction 2026. Apart from Livingstone, Abhinandan Singh and Mohit Rathee are also likely to be released. 

So, now, what’s missing from the RCB team if they retain a total of 20 players before the Mini Auction? The BCCI is contemplating adding 5 Cr more to the existing purse, thus taking the total purse to 125 Cr. So, if RCB retain a total of 20 players, they will roughly have around 20 Cr for the Auction. However, based on the expected retentions, RCB’s 20 Cr may not be completely enough; it is still good enough to fill their gaps.

RCB’s Gaps and Target Players for IPL 2026

Among the gaps that the RCB team has, they need a solid Overseas All-rounder, as currently they only have Romario Shephard. The team needs a good wicket-keeper backup to Jitesh Sharma, as currently, they don’t have any. Also, since Suyash Sharma is their leading spinner, he isn’t the most threatening spinner. So, a good experience spinner alongside Suyash will be a blessing for the RCB team. Similarly, the team needs a couple more Indian batters.  

Now, talking about the potential gap-filling, the team will look for a solid Overseas All-rounder, and among potential All-rounders, RCB can afford to go all-out on either Cameron Green or Glenn Maxwell. Maxwell may get released from the PBKS team, and Cameron Green will be a fresh entry. If RCB manage to get Green for under 20 Cr, they can afford to relax heavily, and then can compromise on the other Indian talent. 

For the backup experienced spinner, someone like a local lad, Shreyas Gopal, will be useful. Gopal, currently in CSK, may be left out of the side for IPL 2026. So, it would be a great time for RCB to add him to the side. For the Wicket-keeper, another local lad, N Jagadeesan, will be a great addition. He can be a solid backup to Jitesh, and he is also in good form currently. Aside from these two, the team can think of adding Sachin Baby and Deepak Hooda to the team, as both will be released from their existing sides. 

IPL 2026 Dream Squad and Players List for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)

Batters

• Devdutt Padikkal
• Mayank Agarwal
• Rajat Patidar (c)
• Sachin Baby
• Swastik Chikara
• Tim David (o)
• Virat Kohli

WKs

• Jitesh Sharma
• N Jagadeesan
• Phil Salt (o)

All-rounders

• Cameron Green (o)
• Deepak Hooda
• Jacob Bethell (o)
• Krunal Pandya
• Manoj Bhandage
• Romario Shephard (o)
• Swapnil Singh

Bowlers

• Bhuvneshwar Kumar
• Josh Hazlewood (o)
• Lungi Ngidi (o)
• Nuwan Thushara (o)
• Rasikh Dar
• Shreyas Gopal
• Suyash Sharma
• Yash Dayal

So, that’s about the dream winning squad and players list for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for IPL 2026. Overall, even before the Auction, RCB shall have a solid squad in place. All they need to do is look for good backups, and that one player who will fit in the playing 11 perfectly. With a few releases in place, and a few new players in the Auction, RCB should be able to complete their dream squad for IPL 2026. 

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