Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) walked into the IPL 2026 auction with a sense of confidence after finally lifting the trophy in 2025, and as a result, the franchise leaned on refinement rather than disruption, which quickly created a squad that feels familiar, settled, and quietly ambitious.
Instead of chasing headlines, RCB stuck with continuity, so the final group shows trust in proven names, paired with small adjustments meant to protect what already worked while addressing obvious gaps.
Strengths of the RCB squad for IPL 2026:
First, the batting unit stands out as the clearest asset, because Virat Kohli still anchors the top order with control and intent, while Phil Salt brings early momentum and keeps bowlers under pressure from the first ball. Alongside them, Rajat Patidar continues to grow into leadership, and his clean striking through the middle overs keeps the innings moving without panic.
Moreover, the arrival of Venkatesh Iyer adds balance, since his left-handed presence upsets match-ups and his all-round ability offers flexibility across phases. As matches progress, Tim David and Jitesh Sharma finish games with raw hitting and quick judgment, which suits flat tracks in Bengaluru perfectly.
Meanwhile, the pace attack shows experience and discipline, because Josh Hazlewood sets the tone with hard lengths and bounce, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar controls movement early and delivers at the death with clarity.
Weaknesses of the RCB squad for IPL 2026:
However, the spin department still raises doubts, since the squad lacks a genuine wrist-spinner who can break partnerships under pressure. Although Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma provide control, neither regularly troubles top batters on slower surfaces. In addition, the bench looks light, and therefore injuries to key figures like Kohli or Patidar would stretch combinations quickly and force difficult compromises.
Opportunities
Still, RCB hold a clear opening to push for sustained success, because team chemistry stays intact and confidence carries over from a title-winning core. If Iyer settles quickly and younger players step up into support roles, the balance will improve without any major change.
Threats
On the other hand, Patidar faces the test of defending a title as captain, where scrutiny will increase, and margins will shrink. Likewise, heavy workloads for Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar could test squad depth. In the end, RCB sit on a strong base, but their season rests on fitness, spin support, and steady leadership under constant pressure.
Full Squad: Rajat Patidar (c), Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Jacob Bethell, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Nuwan Thushara, Rasikh Salam, Abhinandan Singh, Suyash Sharma, Venkatesh Iyer, Jacob Duffy, Satvik Deswal, Mangesh Yadav, Jordan Cox, Vicky Ostwal, Vihaan Malhotra, Kanishk Chouhan.
