RCB Captain IPL 2026 marks a fresh chapter for Royal Challengers Bangalore as the team looks to make a strong impact in the tournament.
With a mix of experienced players and emerging talent, the captain’s leadership will be crucial in guiding the team through high-pressure matches, shaping strategies, and keeping RCB’s title ambitions alive in IPL 2026.
The team will rely on a balanced squad, combining power hitters, consistent run-scorers, and versatile bowlers to tackle tough opponents. Early wins could set the tone for the season, making leadership, teamwork, and tactical decisions more important than ever.
In the previous edition, Bengaluru became the champions after defeating Punjab Kings in the finals.
Meanwhile, fans are also keen to check the IPL 2026 schedule to find out when Royal Challengers Bengaluru will play their first match of the season.
RCB Captain IPL 2026
Under the captaincy of Rajat Patidar, RCB clinched their frst title in 18 years and will be aiming to replicate the successful run.
Check out the full list of RCB Captains in IPL since 2008 below:
- Rajat Patidar: 2025-2026*
- Faf du Plessis: 2022-2024
- Shane Watson: 2017(Interm Captain)
- Virat Kohli: 2011-2021
- Daniel Vettori: 2011-2012
- Anil Kumble: 2009-2010
- Kevin Pietersen: 2009
- Rahul Dravid: 2008
Royal Challengers Bengaluru for IPL 2026
Discover the complete IPL 2026 RCB squad with Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s latest team structure and key signings.
| Player | Role | Nationality | Retained Price |
| Virat Kohli | Batter | Indian | INR 21.00 cr |
| Rajat Patidar | Batter | Indian | INR 11.00 cr |
| Tim David | Batting All-rounder | Australian | INR 3.00 cr |
| Devdutt Padikkal | Batter | Indian | INR 2.00 cr |
| Phil Salt | Batter | English | INR 11.50 cr |
| Jitesh Sharma | Wk-Batter | Indian | INR 11.00 cr |
| Krunal Pandya | All‑rounder | Indian | INR 5.75 cr |
| Jacob Bethell | All‑rounder | English | INR 2.60 cr |
| Romario Shepherd | All‑rounder | West Indies | INR 1.50 cr |
| Swapnil Singh | Bowler | Indian | INR 0.50 cr |
| Josh Hazlewood | Fast Bowler | Australian | INR 12.50 cr |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Fast Bowler | Indian | INR 10.75 cr |
| Rashik Dar | Bowler | Indian | INR 6.00 cr |
| Suyash Sharma | Bowler | Indian | INR 2.60 cr |
| Nuwan Thushara | Fast Bowler | Sri Lankan | INR 1.60 cr |
| Abinandhan Singh | All‑rounder | Indian | INR 0.30 cr |
| Yash Dayal | Fast Bowler | Indian | INR 5.00 cr |
| Venkatesh Iyer | All-rounder | India | INR 7 Cr |
| Jacob Duffy | Fast Bowler | New Zealand | INR 2 Cr |
| Satwik Deswal | All-rounder | India | INR 30 Lakh |
| Mangesh Yadav | All-rounder | India | INR 5.2 Cr |
| Jordan Cox | Batsman | England | INR 75 Lakh |
| Vicky Ostwal | Bowler | India | INR 30 Lakh |
| Vihaan Malhotra | Batting All-rounder | India | INR 30 Lakh |
| Kanishk Chouhan | Bowler | India | INR 30 Lakh |
IPL 2026 Tournament Overview
As per the IPL 2026 schedule, the first match will be played between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad on 28 March 2026 in M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.
The 19th edition of the Indian Premier League is set to be played between March 28 and May 31, 2026, in India. IPL teams will be categorised into two groups of five teams, where a total of 80 group matches will be played before the playoff round.
The IPL 2026 will follow a Group stage and Playoffs format, with the top four teams in the IPL 2026 points table advancing to the playoffs round.
Right before the tournament, as expected, the IPL 2026 withdrawal players list starts to fill, while the respective team will name the replacement players for the IPL 2026 season.
As a part of the season, BCCI has released the IPL 2026 squad, IPL 2026 live streaming, IPL 2026 ticket booking links, and IPL 2026 team jersey details right before the start of the tournament.
