Former cricketer Aakash Chopra picked among players whom Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) should retain or release ahead of the IPL 2027 auction. The auction is set to be held on December 16, 2026.
The first name was that of Devdutt Padikkal. Aakash Chopra reckoned that the left-hander was a certain retention. Padikkal scored 464 runs from 15 innings in the 2026 season at an average of 33.14 and a strike rate of 168.72. The next name was that of star England batter Jacob Bethell, whom Chopra suggested RCB retain.
Next, he suggested the franchise retain Venkatesh Iyer as well, stating he did well in the limited chances. In six innings, Iyer scored 209 runs at an average of 52.25 and a strike rate of 186.60. Coming to all-rounder Romario Shepherd, Chopra felt it could be a tricky choice. He suggested they release Shepherd due to his inconsistent performances.
“The performances have been up and down. You can release him because he’s not adding a lot of value right now,” he said.
The next name was uncapped Indian pacer Rasikh Salam Dar, who Chopra believed must be a definite retention. He played a vital role in the 2026 season, picking up 19 wickets from 12 games at an average of 21.31 and an economy rate of 9.45, including a three-wicket haul in the final. Lastly, Chopra also suggested they retain young spinner Suyash Sharma. He picked up nine wickets in 12 matches last season.
RCB will aim for a hat-trick of IPL titles
RCB are the defending champions heading into IPL 2027. They beat the Gujarat Titans (GT) by five wickets in the IPL 2026 final in Ahmedabad. They were consistent throughout the season, finishing at the top of the table after the league stage.
Notably, RCB won their first IPL title in 2025, beating the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the final. With their 2026 victory, they became only the third team in IPL history to defend their title, joining the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) (2010-11) and the Mumbai Indians (MI) (2019-2020).
Having been the most consistent side over the last two seasons, they will aim to carry the momentum forward. They will have the opportunity to create a new record by becoming the first team to win a hat-trick of IPL titles.
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Edited by Rishab Vm
