IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi underlined as soon as once more how franchises are prepared to stretch their purse for confirmed match-winners, and defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have been no exception as they strengthened a title‑successful core whereas nonetheless splurging massive on a number of strategic buys. With Virat Kohli persevering with because the league’s joint‑most marketable face and a clutch of specialists round him, RCB’s wage sheet for 2026 tells a transparent story of continuity on the prime and aggressive worth‑searching within the center and decrease rungs of the squad.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru goal to defend their maiden title in IPL 2026
RCB lastly ended their lengthy watch for an IPL crown within the 2025 season, changing years of close to‑misses right into a breakthrough title that considerably eased the strain on the franchise and its senior gamers. The administration’s strategy to the 2026 mini‑public sale mirrored that champion standing: they selected to guard a powerful Indian core constructed round Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Devdutt Padikkal and a steady bowling group, choosing tweaks moderately than a tear‑down.
Forward of the public sale, RCB launched a clutch of fringe names to release a handbag of round ₹16.40 crore, coming into the Abu Dhabi occasion with eight obtainable slots, together with two abroad positions. That finances technique was essential for a aspect already carrying a number of excessive‑worth contracts, and it compelled them to be selective about who they went after in bidding wars towards money‑wealthy rivals reminiscent of KKR and SRH.
The massive assertion got here with the signing of Venkatesh Iyer, a transfer that not solely addressed a protracted‑standing want for a left‑hander with energy within the prime and center order but in addition added a seam‑bowling possibility who can steadiness the aspect in away situations. By surrounding Kohli and their retained batting core with multi‑dimensional all‑rounders and demise‑overs specialists, RCB have clearly constructed a squad designed to journey properly and maintain a title defence throughout totally different venues.
Additionally READ: IPL 2026 Auction: Full list of unsold players along with their base price
Salaries of RCB Gamers in IPL 2026
RCB have exhausted nearly their total public sale purse, spending round ₹124.75 crore and leaving simply ₹0.25 crore unutilised, underlining how aggressively they maximised each slot on their 25‑member roster, together with the total quota of eight abroad gamers.
| S.No. | Participant | Offered Worth (₹) |
| 1 | Virat Kohli | 21 crores |
| 2 | Josh Hazlewood | 12 crores 50 lakh |
| 3 | Phil Salt | 11 crores 50 lakh |
| 4 | Rajat Patidar | 11 crores |
| 5 | Jitesh Sharma | 11 crores |
| 6 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 10 crores 75 lakh |
| 7 | Venkatesh Iyer | 7 crores |
| 8 | Rasikh Salam | 6 crores |
| 9 | Krunal Pandya | 5 crores 75 lakh |
| 10 | Mangesh Yadav | 5 crores 20 lakh |
| 11 | Yash Dayal | 5 crores |
| 12 | Tim David | 3 crores |
| 13 | Suyash Sharma | 2 crores 60 lakh |
| 14 | Jacob Bethell | 2 crores 60 lakh |
| 15 | Jacob Duffy | 2 crores |
| 16 | Devdutt Padikkal | 2 crores |
| 17 | Nuwan Thushara | 1 crores 60 lakh |
| 18 | Romario Shepherd | 1 crores 50 lakh |
| 19 | Jordan Cox | 75 lakh |
| 20 | Swapnil Singh | 50 lakh |
| 21 | Satvik Deswal | 30 lakh |
| 22 | Kanishk Chouhan | 30 lakh |
| 23 | Abhinandan Singh | 30 lakh |
| 24 | Vihaan Malhotra | 30 lakh |
| 25 | Vicky Ostwal | 30 lakh |
Additionally READ: IPL 2026 Auction: Complete list of sold players with their price
