Retention List of IPL 2026: Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the defending IPL 2025 champions, confirmed their list of retained and released players ahead of the IPL 2026 mini auction. The defending champions kept most of the core group that helped them win their first IPL title in 2025. The management backed senior names as well as the young talents who formed the foundation of the squad.  However, the franchise made a major decision by releasing England all-rounder Liam Livingstone. He had a below-par season with 112 runs from ten matches and two wickets from nine overs. His strike rate also dropped from his usual levels. Bought for Rs 8.75 crore, he did not deliver the impact expected in the middle order. RCB did not suffer due to Livingstone’s struggle as Jitesh Sharma and Tim David stepped up across key games during the title charge.

RCB retained players

• Rajat Patidar (captain)

• 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

RCB released players

• Liam Livingstone

• Swastik Chikara

• Mayank Agarwal

• Tim Seifert

• Manoj Bhandage

• Lungi Ngidi

• Blessing Muzarabani

• Mohit Rathee

The team has a remaining purse of Rs 16.40 crore for the upcoming auction.