IPL 2026 Auction: Salary of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) players; check out how much Virat Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer earn – Cricket Times

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IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi underlined once again how franchises are willing to stretch their purse for proven match-winners, and defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) were no exception as they reinforced a title‑winning core while still splurging big on a few strategic buys. With Virat Kohli continuing as the league’s joint‑most marketable face and a clutch of specialists around him, RCB’s salary sheet for 2026 tells a clear story of continuity at the top and aggressive value‑hunting in the middle and lower rungs of the squad.​
RCB finally ended their long wait for an IPL crown in the 2025 season, converting years of near‑misses into a breakthrough title that significantly eased the pressure on the franchise and its senior players. The management’s approach to the 2026 mini‑auction reflected that champion status: they chose to protect a strong Indian core built around Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Devdutt Padikkal and a stable bowling group, opting for tweaks rather than a tear‑down.​
Ahead of the auction, RCB released a clutch of fringe names to free up a purse of around ₹16.40 crore, entering the Abu Dhabi event with eight available slots, including two overseas positions. That budget strategy was crucial for a side already carrying several high‑value contracts, and it forced them to be selective about who they went after in bidding wars against cash‑rich rivals such as KKR and SRH.​
The big statement came with the signing of Venkatesh Iyer, a move that not only addressed a long‑standing need for a left‑hander with power in the top and middle order but also added a seam‑bowling option who can balance the side in away conditions. By surrounding Kohli and their retained batting core with multi‑dimensional all‑rounders and death‑overs specialists, RCB have clearly constructed a squad designed to travel well and sustain a title defence across different venues.​​
Also READ: IPL 2026 Auction: Full list of unsold players along with their base price
RCB have exhausted almost their entire auction purse, spending around ₹124.75 crore and leaving just ₹0.25 crore unutilised, underlining how aggressively they maximised every slot on their 25‑member roster, including the full quota of eight overseas players.
Also READ: IPL 2026 Auction: Complete list of sold players with their price
TAGS: IPL IPL 2026 IPL 2026 Auction IPL 2026 mini auction IPL 2026 Salary RCB Royal Challengers Bengaluru Venkatesh Iyer Virat Kohli
CATEGORY: Featured IPL Royal Challengers Bangalore T20 League Venkatesh Iyer Virat Kohli
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