List of all players RCB could retain & release ahead of IPL 2027
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Royal Challengers Bengaluru will aim for their third consecutive title in IPL 2027.
After 17 unsuccessful seasons, including three final appearances, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won their maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy in 2025 under Rajat Patidar‘s captaincy.
It was a surreal experience for the franchise, players, and their fans. RCB didn’t stop there; they lifted the trophy again in 2026, proving their 2025 title-winning campaign wasn’t a fluke.
Now, RCB will aim to clinch a third straight IPL title as they head into the 2027 edition as the defending champions. But before that, they need to make some preparations.
The deadline for submitting the player retention list is November 17. RCB’s squad is packed with 25 players, and they will need to release some names to make room for new additions during the auction.
RCB are likely to retain their core set of players
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Winning consecutive IPL titles shows that RCB have a balanced squad. Hence, the franchise might not make major changes to its 25-member squad.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru could retain most of their players ahead of the IPL 2027 auction. Jitesh Sharma struggled last season, but the Challengers are likely to stick with him.
However, the West Indian all-rounder Romario Shepherd was not at his best and had a below-average IPL 2026. In 15 games, he took 7 wickets at an economy rate of 11.92 and scored just 83 runs.
Reportedly, RCB were in discussions with RR to swap Romario for Sam Curran; however, nothing has been decided yet. Meanwhile, Nuwan Thushara and Richard Gleeson might get released.
The franchise spent INR 5.20 crore on Mangesh Yadav, and he can also be released if they want to explore other available options at the auction. Yash Dayal, who missed the last season, may also get released.
Players Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) could retain ahead of IPL 2027
- Venkatesh Iyer
- Virat Kohli
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar
- Phil Salt
- Devdutt Padikkal
- Rajat Patidar (c)
- Jacob Bethell
- Jacob Duffy
- Jitesh Sharma
- Josh Hazlewood
- Krunal Pandya
- Jordan Cox
- Rasikh Salam
- Suyash Sharma
- Swapnil Singh
- Tim David
- Vihaan Malhotra
- Kanishk Chouhan
Players Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) could release ahead of IPL 2027
- Romario Shepherd
- Mangesh Yadav
- Nuwan Thushara
- Abhinandan Singh
- Yash Dayal
- Richard Gleeson
- Satvik Deswal
- Vicky Ostwal
Who will lead RCB in IPL 2027?
Rajat Patidar will lead Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2027.
Who won the IPL 2026?
Royal Challengers Bengaluru won the IPL 2026.
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