Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) appear to have assembled a formidable squad for the IPL 2026 edition after retaining most of their core members and roping in few high-profile names at the mini-auction.
Following their first IPL title victory in 2025, the franchise have continued their strong spending spree on experienced players. Star batsman Virat Kohli remains the highest-paid player in the squad after being retained at INR 21 crore.
RCB have focused on a balanced squad and have shelled out significant amount of money on both batters, bowlers and all-rounders. Players such as Josh Hazlewood, Phil Salt and captain Rajat Patidar are also among the highest paid players and are clear indications of the trust placed on these match-winners.
Top 10 Highest Paid Players in RCB Squad (IPL 2026)
| Player | Role | Fee (INR) | Status |
| Virat Kohli | Batter | ₹21.00 Crore | Retained |
| Josh Hazlewood | Bowler | ₹12.50 Crore | Retained |
| Phil Salt | WK-Batter | ₹11.50 Crore | Retained |
| Rajat Patidar (C) | Batter | ₹11.00 Crore | Retained |
| Jitesh Sharma | WK-Batter | ₹11.00 Crore | Retained |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Bowler | ₹10.75 Crore | Retained |
| Venkatesh Iyer | All-rounder | ₹7.00 Crore | Auction Buy |
| Rasikh Salam | Bowler | ₹6.00 Crore | Retained |
| Krunal Pandya | All-rounder | ₹5.75 Crore | Retained |
| Mangesh Yadav | All-rounder | ₹5.20 Crore | Auction Buy |
Auction Picks and RCB's strong start to their IPL 2026 campaign
Among the expensive buys from the 2026 mini-auction were Venkatesh Iyer, who was purchased for INR 7 crore following an intense bidding war between RCB and Kolkata Knight Riders, while young Indian pacer Mangesh Yadav was acquired for INR 5.20 crore. New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy was brought into the squad for INR 2 crore- his base price- to boost their bowling attack.
RCB seem to be off to a tremendous start to their campaign this season. In the opening fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad, they successfully chased a total of 202 in merely 15.4 overs. While Virat Kohli stole the show with his unbeaten 69, Jacob Duffy delivered an exceptional spell of 3/22.
With a healthy net run rate of +2.907, RCB will be looking forward to their ongoing fixture against Chennai Super Kings at Chinnaswamy Stadium. It is yet to be seen whether their big-money buys will be able to repeat their heroics from their maiden IPL triumph in the 2026 edition of the tournament.