IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi underlined once again how franchises are willing to stretch their purse for proven match-winners, and defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) were no exception as they reinforced a title‑winning core while still splurging big on a few strategic buys. With Virat Kohli continuing as the league’s joint‑most marketable face and a clutch of specialists around him, RCB’s salary sheet for 2026 tells a clear story of continuity at the top and aggressive value‑hunting in the middle and lower rungs of the squad.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru aim to defend their maiden title in IPL 2026
RCB finally ended their long wait for an IPL crown in the 2025 season, converting years of near‑misses into a breakthrough title that significantly eased the pressure on the franchise and its senior players. The management’s approach to the 2026 mini‑auction reflected that champion status: they chose to protect a strong Indian core built around Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Devdutt Padikkal and a stable bowling group, opting for tweaks rather than a tear‑down.
Ahead of the auction, RCB released a clutch of fringe names to free up a purse of around ₹16.40 crore, entering the Abu Dhabi event with eight available slots, including two overseas positions. That budget strategy was crucial for a side already carrying several high‑value contracts, and it forced them to be selective about who they went after in bidding wars against cash‑rich rivals such as KKR and SRH.
The big statement came with the signing of Venkatesh Iyer, a move that not only addressed a long‑standing need for a left‑hander with power in the top and middle order but also added a seam‑bowling option who can balance the side in away conditions. By surrounding Kohli and their retained batting core with multi‑dimensional all‑rounders and death‑overs specialists, RCB have clearly constructed a squad designed to travel well and sustain a title defence across different venues.
Salaries of RCB Players in IPL 2026
RCB have exhausted almost their entire auction purse, spending around ₹124.75 crore and leaving just ₹0.25 crore unutilised, underlining how aggressively they maximised every slot on their 25‑member roster, including the full quota of eight overseas players.
| S.No. | Player | Sold Price (₹) |
| 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 |
