That’s the question every fan is asking after back-to-back titles. Sitting back and trusting the same squad to repeat itself rarely works out in this league, so this is the moment RCB’s management really has to get its calls right.
In this blog, we’re going to cover where RCB’s real concerns lie heading into 2027, including which RCB players could be released the good headaches their management will be dealing with, the strengths they don’t need to touch, my own take on what RCB should do as part of their RCB IPL 2027 auction strategy, a prediction along with answers to the questions fans keep asking.
RCB’s Biggest Concerns Heading Into the 2027 IPL
Spin Department: Does RCB Have a Genuine Wicket-Taking Spinner?
Heading into IPL 2026, one question kept coming up around RCB’s squad: did they actually have a genuine wicket-taking spinner, the attacking threat teams have, like Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, or Varun Chakravarthy bring to their sides?
| Player | Year | Matches | Wkts | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Krunal Pandya | 2026 | 16 | 14 | 8.42 |
 Suyash Sharma | 2026 | 12 | 9 | 9.21 |
Suyash Sharma is a different story. He’s meant to be RCB’s attacking spinner, the one who takes wickets in the middle overs, not just contains. Last season, Suyash picked up 9 wickets at an economy of 9.21 and an average of 41.78, numbers that fall well below what a champion side needs from that role. More than once, when Rajat Patidar needed an economical, wicket-taking spell in the middle overs, Suyash didn’t deliver; he leaked runs at exactly the moments RCB could least afford it. The stats back it up, and by Rajat’s own reading of the situation, this is a genuine gap in the squad.
Finishing Department: Can Jitesh Sharma and Romario Shepherd Bounce Back?
Jitesh Sharma and Romario Shepherd’s finishing abilities came under a lot of scrutiny last season, and the numbers explain why. Both players had shown exactly what they’re capable of in 2025. Shepherd’s finish against Pathirana and Khaleel that year was outrageous, and Jitesh’s knock against Lucknow was a genuinely special innings. Back then, nobody was questioning their finishing.
But 2026 told a different story. Jitesh managed just 116 runs at a strike rate of 122, and Shepherd scored only 83 runs at a strike rate of 125, a massive drop from their 2025 numbers, where Jitesh had struck 261 runs at a strike rate of 176, and Shepherd had racked up 70 runs at an eye-watering strike rate of 291.
| Player | Year | Matches | Runs | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Jitesh Sharma | 2026 | 16 | 116 | 122 |
 Romario Shepherd | 2026 | 15 | 83 | 125 |
Shepherd’s role means he often comes in with very little batting time left, so the runs on the board were always going to be modest, but the strike rate is what defines a finisher, and that’s exactly where both players fell short last year. Jitesh, in particular, is a hugely talented player, but talent means nothing without consistency in that role. To his credit, he found some form again in the 2026 final and carried that into strong performances in domestic cricket afterward.
Still, this remains a real concern for RCB, and it’s not limited to the bat. Shepherd’s bowling also dipped, with an economy of 11.92, which was expensive by any standard, leaving Rajat with almost no options to turn to in the death overs last season. This is exactly the kind of gap RCB’s management will need to think hard about heading into the auction.
RCB’s Good Headache
Sorting Out the Opening Order
Venkatesh Iyer’s arrival in 2026 has turned RCB’s opening slot into a genuine selection headache, the good kind ,In 2024, Phil Salt was outstanding at the top, striking at 175 and scoring 403 runs. That kind of start gave Virat Kohli exactly the platform he needed time to settle in at the other end, while Salt played with total freedom, which is precisely the template RCB’s management wants from their opener. But Salt was a little inconsistent in 2026 and missed time with a finger injury. That’s when management moved Venkatesh Iyer up the order, another left-hander, and it turned out to be an upgrade rather than a stopgap. Iyer scored 209 runs at a strike rate of 186, and did it consistently, showing up in knockouts and the final. He settled into that role almost immediately.
| Player | Year | Matches | Runs | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Phil Salt | 2026 | 6 | 202 | 168 |
 V Iyer | 2026 | 7 | 209 | 186 |
So heading into 2027, with Salt fully recovered, RCB actually has a problem most teams would love to have: who opens alongside Kohli? Salt remains a brilliant English attacker who plays fearless, modern cricket, and he’s earned his spot back on current form. But Iyer’s 2026 numbers make a real case of his own. And it doesn’t stop there; Jordan Cox and Jacob Bethell, both Englishmen, give RCB even more options at the top.
That’s a lot of quality left-handed openers competing for essentially one and a half spots, and management will have a genuine call to make on who partners Kohli with, who, at the other end, remains exactly what he’s always been: a legend doing legendary things.
Where RCB Doesn’t Need to Touch Their Squad Key Strengths
Pace Attack
Historically, RCB haven’t had a great track record when it comes to quality fast bowling. That changed with the pace unit they built through the 2025 auction, a lineup mixing proven experience with energetic young talent ,Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood came in alongside Yash Dayal, Rasikh Salam, and Abhinandan Singh, and this group delivered when it mattered most in 2025. Dayal’s last-over spell against Dhoni, defending a tight total, Bhuvi and Hazlewood’s yorkers at the death, and Hazlewood’s knockout-stage spells all showed this attack was worth every rupee spent on it.
Then came a wrinkle: Yash Dayal was involved in a legal case in 2025, but RCB stood by him and didn’t release him. Abhinandan stepped in during that period but struggled, leaking runs, which opened the door for Rasikh to move up to the XI. He grabbed the opportunity the Jammu-born pacer picked up 19 wickets at an economy of 9.46, numbers that impressed the management enough to feel like an upgrade to the attack rather than just a replacement.
RCB also brought in Jacob Duffy, the world’s No. 1-ranked T20 bowler at the time, who impressed as well, plus Sri Lanka’s Nuwan Thushara, giving Hazlewood proper backup and depth across their overseas pace slots.
Bottom line: pace isn’t an area RCB needs to fix in 2027. If anything, this is where they could actually free up money, releasing Yash Dayal alone would bring roughly ₹5 crore back into the purse ahead of the auction, funds better spent shoring up the spin or finishing gaps we covered earlier.
Middle Order Statistically the Strongest in IPL History
Statistically, this might be the strongest middle-order RCB or arguably any team has ever fielded in the IPL. Devdutt Padikkal at three, Rajat Patidar at four, Tim David at five: three power-hitting machines back to back. Opponents would genuinely dread facing this lineup. It feels like taking down one monster only to find an even bigger one waiting at the other end.
Together, this trio scored 1,270 runs at a strike rate of over 200, across just 697 balls faced. It’s hard to ask for more than that from a middle order.
And there’s backup waiting in the wings, too, Jacob Bethell, the upcoming star who’s already delivering for England on the international stage, most recently with a match-winning knock in the second T20I of a series, and before that, an incredible 105 off just 48 balls against India in the 2026 T20 World Cup semi-final at Wankhede. Bottom line: the middle order isn’t an area RCB needs to touch at the auction. It’s already sorted.
My Take: RCB’s Purse Permutations and the Moves They Should Make at the 2027
RCB enters the IPL 2027 mini-auction with a remaining purse of around ₹16.40 crore. Release Yash Dayal, and that frees up roughly ₹5 crore more. Add the standard ₹5 crore top-up every franchise gets ahead of a new auction cycle, and RCB should be working with somewhere close to ₹26 crore.
There’s no need to release Romario Shepherd or Jitesh Sharma. This is a mini-auction, not a mega, and mini-auction pools rarely have genuine power-hitters sitting around, since no team is freeing up its best finishers this cycle. Spending big to “fix” the finishing role by throwing money at a name from a shallow pool isn’t the smarter play; patience is.
On Hardik Pandya, the rumours are everywhere, but I don’t see this happening for RCB. My read is that Hardik wants captaincy wherever he lands next, and RCB aren’t in a position to hand that over or match what a trade for him would cost. It doesn’t fit the purse, and it doesn’t fit the leadership structure Rajat Patidar has already built.
Where RCB should actually spend: a quality backup spinner, there’s already talk of Rahul Chahar potentially being released by his current franchise, and he’s exactly the type of attacking option worth chasing. An attacking spinner’s entire job is to take wickets without bleeding runs, and right now, RCB doesn’t have a proven backup for that role. India has no shortage of spin talent in domestic cricket, and RCB’s scouting team should be actively targeting one not to replace Suyash outright, but to have a real alternative ready if he keeps struggling in big moments. The squad already has spin options in Vicky Ostwal, Kanishk Chauhan, and Jacob Bethell, but none of them are attacking spinners in the mould RCB actually needs.
The second priority: a pace-bowling all-rounder who can bowl a minimum of two overs and finish with the bat, proper backup cover for Romario Shepherd, not a straight replacement.
And for Jitesh, give him a long rope. Even if the form doesn’t return immediately, RCB have Phil Salt as a wicketkeeping option to fall back on, so there’s no pressure to panic-release a player who’s shown what he’s capable of before.
FAQ
How many players can RCB retain in IPL 2027?
Since 2027 is a mini-auction, not a fresh mega-auction, RCB doesn’t get a new round of retentions. Their existing squad stays intact by default, and the only changes come from players they choose to release before the auction.
Who will be the captain of RCB in 2027?
Rajat Patidar is expected to continue as captain heading into 2027. He’s led RCB to back-to-back titles, and there’s no real signal from the franchise suggesting a change at the top. The bigger conversations are around squad gaps, not leadership.
Which RCB players are in talks to be released in 2027?
The names being talked about most are Yash Dayal, Suyash Sharma, Romario, and Jitesh, mainly due to underwhelming stats last season rather than any lack of talent.
Is Hardik Pandya coming to RCB in 2027?
Unlikely. Reports suggest RCB have stayed out of the Hardik Pandya trade race, largely because his skillset overlaps with players they already have. Venkatesh Iyer, Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, and Tim David all cover similar ground.
What will RCB’s 2027 jersey look like?
There’s no official confirmation yet on a full redesign for 2027. What’s certain is that the 2-star badge added after their back-to-back titles in 2025 and 2026 will carry over, marking their consecutive championships. Beyond that, treat any other jersey leaks or mockups circulating online as speculation until RCB makes an official announcement.