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Virat Kohli-starrer Royal Challengers Bengaluru can sign many of its former players in the IPL 2025 mega auctions after they were not retained by their 2024 franchises.
5 former players RCB can sign in IPL 2025 mega auctions. (Picture Credit: AFP, Sportzpics)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) is one of the most popular IPL franchises. The Bengaluru-based team has been part of the IPL since the start and has participated in all 17 editions of the cash-rich league played so far. However, it is still waiting for its first title. Ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auctions, which are reportedly set to take place later this month, RCB retained three players: Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, and Yash Dayal. While Kohli was retained for Rs 21 crore, RCB splashed out Rs 11 crore for Patidar and Rs 5 crore for uncapped Indian pacer Dayal.
RCB will have three Right To Match (RTM) cards available in the mega auctions, and the franchise owners would like to bring back as many stars as possible. In addition to the players that represented the side in the 2024 edition of the cash-rich league, RCB would be eager to sign some former players as well who are also set to be part of mega auctions.
Here’s a look at five former players RCB can sign in IPL 2025 mega auctions:
Yuzvendra Chahal: Chahal is RCB’s leading wicket-taker in IPL history. In 113 matches for the franchise, he dismissed 139 batters. He was released by the franchise ahead of IPL 2022 mega auctions, after which he joined the Rajasthan Royals and accounted for the dismissal of 66 batters in 46 matches. Chahal is the only bowler to take more than 200 wickets in the IPL and still has a lot to offer, which is why many teams would like to secure his services in the mega auctions.
Harshal Patel: Harshal Patel has dismissed 99 batters in 80 IPL matches for RCB. He is a two-time Purple Cap winner and is known for his bowling in the death overs. Despite producing a super show in IPL 2024 for the Punjab Kings, he was released by the Mohali-based franchise, and RCB could go after him once again in the mega auction after opting to part ways with Mohammed Siraj.
KL Rahul: KL Rahul made his IPL debut in 2013 for RCB and has 417 runs to his name in 19 matches played so far for the franchise across two seasons. The 32-year-old right-handed batter has expressed his desire to play for RCB again on multiple occasions in the past, and he will be part of the auctions for the first time in 2018 after not being retained by the Lucknow Super Giants.
Devdutt Padikkal: Devdutt Padikkal played two seasons (2020-21) in the IPL for RCB and scored 884 runs in 29 matches for them. The Karnataka-based cricketer struggled to score big runs in the last three seasons for RR and LSG and will be part of mega auctions now. The left-handed batter proved his worth as a top-order batter for RCB during his first stint, and the franchise can look to sign him once again.
Washington Sundar: Tamil Nadu all-rounder Washington Sundar has played in 31 IPL matches for RCB from 2018 to 2021 and dismissed 19 batters apart from scoring 208 runs. Sundar joined SRH in IPL 2022 mega auctions, but he didn’t get many chances to play for the Hyderabad-based franchise. The spin bowling all-rounder has been in red-hot form for India these days, which is why he will be on many teams radar during the upcoming auctions.
In addition to the discussed players, RCB could also go after Marcus Stoinis, Mayank Agarwal, Sarfaraz Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mitchell Starc, Wanindu Hasaranga, and Josh Hazlewood. All these players have also played for RCB in the past.
