Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) enter IPL 2027 with several important squad decisions ahead. Following their championship ambitions, RCB could look to maintain their established core while strengthening their bench through the upcoming auction.
RCB IPL 2027 squad prediction explores the expected retentions, released players, auction purse and potential recruitment strategy using IPL 2026 contract prices.
RCB IPL 2027 PREDICTED RETAINED PLAYERS & PRICES
RCB could retain 15 players heading into IPL 2027, continuing to back their experienced batting lineup and established bowling combination.
| PLAYER | PRICE |
|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | ₹21 CR |
| Rajat Patidar | ₹11 CR |
| Phil Salt | ₹11.50 CR |
| Jitesh Sharma | ₹11 CR |
| Devdutt Padikkal | ₹2 CR |
| Tim David | ₹3 CR |
| Jacob Bethell | ₹2.60 CR |
| Krunal Pandya | ₹5.75 CR |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | ₹10.75 CR |
| Josh Hazlewood | ₹12.50 CR |
| Rasikh Dar | ₹6 CR |
| Suyash Sharma | ₹2.60 CR |
| Yash Dayal | ₹5 CR |
| Venkatesh Iyer | ₹7 CR |
| Jacob Duffy | ₹2 CR |
Total Retained Salary: ₹113.70 Crore
The predicted RCB retentions for IPL 2027 would preserve their batting strength through Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Phil Salt and Jitesh Sharma. Their bowling core, featuring Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Krunal Pandya and Yash Dayal, would also remain intact.
RCB IPL 2027 RELEASED PLAYERS & RELEASE PRICES
RCB could release 10 players to create additional squad flexibility and identify fresh auction targets.
| PLAYER | RELEASE PRICE |
|---|---|
| Nuwan Thushara | ₹1.60 CR |
| Romario Shepherd | ₹1.50 CR |
| Swapnil Singh | ₹50 LAKH |
| Abhinandan Singh | ₹30 LAKH |
| Satvik Deswal | ₹30 LAKH |
| Kanishk Chouhan | ₹30 LAKH |
| Vicky Ostwal | ₹30 LAKH |
| Vihaan Malhotra | ₹30 LAKH |
| Jordan Cox | ₹75 LAKH |
| Mangesh Yadav | ₹5.20 CR |
Total Released Salary: ₹11.05 Crore
The RCB released players list includes overseas options and domestic players who could be replaced by more specialised additions. These releases would allow the franchise to reassess its squad balance ahead of IPL 2027.
RCB IPL 2027 AUCTION PURSE & REMAINING BUDGET
With an assumed IPL salary cap of ₹125 crore, RCB’s auction purse calculation would be:
| DETAILS | AMOUNT |
|---|---|
| Total Salary Cap | ₹125 CR |
| Retained Salary | ₹113.70 CR |
| Remaining Auction Purse | ₹11.30 CR |
Remaining Auction Purse: ₹11.30 Crore
RCB would enter the IPL 2027 auction with approximately ₹11.30 crore, leaving limited financial flexibility for major purchases.
RCB IPL 2027 AUCTION STRATEGY & REQUIREMENTS
RCB’s auction strategy should focus on strengthening their squad depth while maintaining a competitive playing combination.
Their major auction requirements could include:
- Indian death-over specialist
- Backup Indian fast bowler
- Overseas explosive finisher
- Indian batting all-rounder
- Backup wicketkeeper
- Indian middle-order batter
- Overseas backup pacer
- Indian spinner
- Batting backup
- Uncapped pace prospect
With only 10 available squad positions and three overseas slots, RCB would need to prioritise value-based recruitment rather than spending heavily on a single player.
RCB IPL 2027 SQUAD ANALYSIS: CAN BENGALURU DEFEND THEIR TITLE?
RCB’s predicted IPL 2027 squad would retain a strong foundation across batting, wicketkeeping, pace bowling and spin.
Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar could continue anchoring the batting lineup, while Phil Salt and Tim David would provide attacking options. Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar would remain central to the pace attack, supported by Rasikh Dar and Yash Dayal.
The biggest challenge for RCB would be their limited auction purse. Identifying reliable Indian backups and strengthening the death-bowling department could prove essential to their campaign.
FINAL VERDICT: RCB IPL 2027 RETENTION & AUCTION PREDICTIONS
RCB’s predicted retention and release strategy would prioritise stability while creating opportunities to improve their squad depth.
With 15 retained players, 10 potential auction additions and ₹11.30 crore available, Bengaluru could still build a competitive squad through smart recruitment.
The franchise’s ability to identify affordable Indian talent, strengthen its death bowling and find reliable finishing options could determine its success in IPL 2027.
Note: This is a hypothetical squad and auction prediction based on IPL 2026 contract prices. The proposed retentions, releases and auction figures are estimates, not official IPL 2027 announcements.