5 Players RCB Must Release Before IPL 2026

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) has qualified for the IPL 2025 playoffs with eight victories in 12 group-stage encounters at a net run rate of +0.482. They have been consistent with their overall performances this year.

Virat Kohli and Phil Salt’s opening partnership gave them a solid opening stand before Jacob Bethell replaced Salt. Rajat Patidar, the leader, has been excellent with the bat in the middle overs, while Devdutt Padikkal has contributed immensely.

RCB has struggled in the middle overs with some of their foreign players not being able to score as many runs as expected. Hence, the franchise may look to release a few players before the IPL 2026 and add some money for the upcoming auction.

Here are the five players that RCB must release before the IPL 2026 season

1. Liam Livingstone

The England spin all-rounder, Liam Livingstone, has struggled during the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League. He has smashed just 87 runs in six innings at an average of 17.40 and a strike rate of 127.94, thanks to just one half-century at the best score of 54 runs.

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Livingstone, on most occasions, has failed to generate the pace with the bat in the middle overs and contribute as they would have expected. The right-handed batter has not done well against the spinners, and that would be a huge chance for the RCB side to leave the player and save INR 8.75 crore in the bag.

2. Rasikh Salam

Bengaluru bagged the uncapped Indian fast bowler, Rasikh Salam, for a price of INR 6 crore. In the two games he has been part of, the right-arm pacer has picked up only one solitary wicket in two innings at an average of 70 and an economy rate of 11.66.

RCB looked to use the pacer with the new ball inside the powerplay but has overpitched most of the balls, which the batters have nailed around the park. If the management leaves the fast bowler from the side, then they will get a huge money, what they can use for future in the mini auction.

3. Nuwan Thusara

The Sri Lankan fast bowler, Nuwan Thusara, in the previous season of the IPL, picked up eight wickets in seven innings at an average of 32.12 and an economy rate of just below 10 with the best bowling figure of 3/28 in an innings.

Thusara has the ability to show pace variations to fox the batters in the death overs and his action is incredible. However, he hasn’t got chances much in the franchise and that could lead the management of leaving the pacer.

4. Lungi Ngidi

The lanky Protea fast bowler, Lungi Ngidi, has used the short balls brilliantly to make a slight impact in the game. Ngidi featured in just one game for RCB during the 2025 season to pick up three wickets in one innings.

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He was excellent in that game and replaced Josh Hazlewood. But he is an injury-prone pacer and that could lead the management to leave him before the upcoming season.

5. Swapnil Singh

The RCB all-rounder, Swapnil Singh, was retained by the franchise before the 2026 season of the tournament. He didn’t play a single game this year after picking six wickets last year for an average of 22.16 and an economy rate of 8.86 with a strike rate of 15.

Swapnil can be left out in the mini auction going into the 2026 season of the T20 tournament.