IPL 2026: Why has RCB removed Yash Dayal from poster on team bus?

Yash Dayal picked 13 wickets for RCB in IPL 2025.

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will begin their title defense in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 on March 28, against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), marking a rematch of their iconic 2016 final. RCB finally ended their title drought last year, as Rajat Patidar led his team to a famous title win.

RCB will look to build on their success, as they have managed to retain most of their stars who helped them lift their maiden title. IPL’s best batter Virat Kohli will be back in action alongside England’s Phil Salt. At number three, the management will have to choose between Devdutt Padikkal or the new addition in Venkatesh Iyer.

The likes of Tim David and Jitesh Sharma provide their batting with the much-needed flair down the order. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazelwood will once again lead the bowling, but RCB will hope both are match fit. Last year’s man of the match in the final, Krunal Pandya, will aim to continue his contribution with both bat and ball.

While the overall shape of the team looks good, captain Rajat Patidar and the rest of the management have to deal with a tricky situation concerning their uncapped retention.

Why has RCB removed Yash Dayal from poster on team bus?

Yash Dayal, who was retained for 5 Crore, reportedly, has been sidelined by RCB leading up to the marquee competition. He has been missing from team’s practice sessions and was then absent from the poster on RCB’s team bus, which caught the attention of many.

Although, there is no confirmation as to why RCB has removed Dayal from poster on team bus, it might be due to the legal cases against him. The left-arm pacer is currently battling two cases, which has seen him facing a lot of criticism.

First an FIR was filed against him in Ghaziabad for physical exploitation under the false pretext of marriage. Later in Jaipur, he was booked under POSCO act. While he is yet to be proven guilty, these charges are extremely serious and can massively affect RCB’s reputation. Any RCB official or player is yet to comment on this matter.

Notably, Dayal played a huge role in RCB’s win last season, picking 13 wickets in 15 games. RCB’s IPL final against Punjab Kings was also Dayal’s last competitive match. Since then, he has been missing from cricket action due to these serious allegations.

Following this, Dayal was dropped by the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association from their T20 league, yet RCB retained him for the 2026 season. It now remains to be seen if he will feature in IPL 2026 or not.

For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.