Predicting RCB’s Best Playing XI Ahead of IPL 2026 

The Aditya Birla Group, Times of India, and David Blitzer's consortium has acquired RCB for $1.78 billion, marking the IPL's most expensive sale ever.

Predicting RCB’s Best Playing XI Ahead of IPL 2026 

Defending champions RCB will be aiming for the 2026 IPL title. (via BBC)

In Short
  • Royal Challengers Bengaluru won their first IPL title in 2025, defeating Punjab Kings in a close final.
  • RCB has retained 17 players from the title-winning squad and made significant acquisitions for the 2026 season.
  • Virat Kohli is set to continue as an opener, aiming to become the first player to score 9,000 runs in IPL history.

As the reigning IPL titleholders, Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be the team to look out for this summer. There is anticipation surrounding RCB’s playing XI for the 2026 IPL season, with several players from the title-winning squad set to retain their places. 

RCB defeated Punjab Kings in the 2025 IPL final, ending their 18-year-long wait for a piece of silverware. The final, played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, went down to the wire, with PBKS only falling short by six runs.

Batting first, RCB had put up 190/9, guided by Virat Kohli’s 43 runs. Punjab Kings could not get over the line, even though Shashank Singh scored a fighting 61 runs in the end.

A long-awaited dream finally came true, with RCB securing its maiden IPL title. RCB’s journey was backed by incredible individual performances across the tournament, coming from Virat Kohli, Krunal Pandya, Josh Hazlewood, Phil Salt, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. It eventually allowed the franchise to identify the 17 players it would retain for the upcoming 2026 season, while also spending big on new talent.

At the 2026 IPL mini-auction, Venkatesh Iyer was RCB’s biggest acquisition for INR 7 crores. Apart from him, the team also signed players like Mangesh Yadav, Jacob Duffy, Jordan Cox, and Vihaan Malhotra. Here is a look at RCB’s predicted playing XI for IPL 2026. 

Virat Kohli

IPL’s highest run-getter, Virat Kohli is the face of the franchise. He is set to continue as an opener, riding high on his form in white-ball cricket. For Kohli, the 2026 season will be all the more important as he gets closer to becoming the first batter to score 9,000 runs in the IPL, with his current tally standing at 8,661 runs, including eight centuries and 63 fifties. 

Phil Salt

Englishman Phil Salt seems to be in love with the IPL, after having won two back-to-back trophies. The 29-year-old, who is ranked the world’s no.4 T20I batter, scored 403 runs during the previous edition, at an average of 33.58 and a strike-rate of 175.98. He is set to open the batting alongside Kohli, with the duo willing to better their 2025 aggregate of 565 runs. 

Devdutt Padikkal/Venkatesh Iyer

In sublime form in domestic cricket, left-hander Devdutt Padikkal might easily slot into the no.3 position. The 25-year-old batter scored 247 runs in ten innings in IPL 2025, at an average of 27.44. In the following 2025 SMAT season, he scored 309 runs in six innings at an average of 61.80, before a 725-run VHT campaign. Padikkal, however, will face stiff competition from Venkatesh Iyer. 

Rajat Patidar (Captain)

Having led his team to a historic IPL title last year, Rajat Patidar will continue in his role as captain, as well as the no.4 batter. The 32-year-old’s impact extends beyond numbers, with him having scored 312 runs in IPL 2025, at a strike-rate of 143.78. Patidar, however, did not have a convincing 2025 SMAT season with Madhya Pradesh, scoring just 113 runs. 

Tim David

RCB’s finisher-in-chief, Australian Tim David, might bat at no.5. He scored 187 runs in their title-winning campaign, at a remarkable average of 62.33 and a strike-rate of 185.15. David brings both stability and firepower to the team’s middle-order, but will be focused on maintaining full fitness after a hamstring injury sidelined him for the majority of the BBL season.

Jitesh Sharma (Wicketkeeper)

One of RCB’s unsung heroes last summer, Jitesh Sharma’s abilities as a finisher are well known. The highlight of his career was an 85-run knock, which he hit during a near-impossible 228-run chase against Lucknow Super Giants last season. Sharma, however, has struggled to keep his form, as a result of which he was even dropped from India’s T20I team. 

Krunal Pandya

While not the most flamboyant of all-rounders, Krunal Pandya, however, has the ability to deliver whenever his team needs him the most. Pandya holds the distinction of having won the POTM award in two IPL finals separately, in 2017 and 2025. The veteran left-hander had an impactful 2025 summer, where he scored 109 runs and picked up 17 wickets for RCB.

Romario Shepherd

West Indies’ star Romario Shepherd’s all-round abilities make him a key asset for RCB. The 31-year-old, who has a reputation for having played in T20 leagues around the world, will be expected to bring balance into the playing XI once again. He had a splendid 2026 T20 World Cup, where he picked up a hat-trick in the Windies’ first group-stage clash against Scotland. 

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

One of India’s premier swing bowlers, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, will also keep his place in the playing XI. He finished the season with 17 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 28.41. His abilities with the new ball will make him captain Rajat Patidar’s go-to bowler this summer, especially in the absence of Australian veteran Josh Hazlewood at the start of the tournament. 

Mangesh Yadav

RCB’s new acquisition, Mangesh Yadav, might be the only uncapped star in the playing XI. A left-handed bowling all-rounder, Yadav was bought for a whopping INR 5.2 crores at the auction. The 23-year-old is expected to take charge of the middle-overs in Yash Dayal’s absence, after having enjoyed a remarkable 2025 MPL season, where he picked up 14 wickets. 

Josh Hazlewood/Jacob Duffy

While Josh Hazlewood is expected to lead the bowling attack, the Australian icon, however, will not be available for the initial stages of IPL 2026 due to an injury. Hazlewood finished as RCB’s highest wicket-taker last season, picking up 22 scalps at an average of 17.54. He will, thereafter, be replaced in the playing XI by New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy.

Impact Player – Suyash Sharma

Uncapped Indian spinner Suyash Sharma is expected to be drafted in as an impact substitute. The 22-year-old’s mystery spin will be pivotal for the team, and might be utilized on slow tracks in order to stem the flow of runs. Sharma picked eight wickets in 14 matches last season, while giving runs away at a decent economy rate of 8.84.

  • Virat Kohli
  • Phil Salt
  • Devdutt Padikkal/Venkatesh Iyer
  • Rajat Patidar (C)
  • Tim David
  • Jitesh Sharma
  • Krunal Pandya
  • Romario Shepherd
  • Bhuvneshwar Kumar
  • Mangesh Yadav
  • Josh Hazlewood/Jacob Duffy
  • Suyash Sharma (Impact Player)

Meanwhile, the team also has a strong bench, with players like the veteran all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer, U-19 World Cup-winning star Vihaan Malhotra, and pacer Rasikh Salam Dar. Englishmen Jacob Bethell and Jordan Cox, and Sri Lanka’s Nuwan Thushara might also get a spot.

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