The Royal Challengers Bangalore showed IPL fans both sides of a spectrum. During the first seven games they won just one, while they won six out of their next seven to book a place in the Eliminator on net-run-rate. Walking into this year’s edition with a more balanced squad – at least on paper – can they go one better and finally make a bid for their first-ever IPL title?
In this article, we take a look at five domestic players who can make a difference for the Royal Challengers Bangalore this coming season.
Rasikh Dar Salam
The talented bowler from Jammu & Kashmir was one of the highest buys in the uncapped category during the 2025 mega auction, going for INR 6 crore following an intense battle between the Delhi Capitals and eventual owners Royal Challengers Bangalore.
The young 24-year-old bowler was a fairly unknown quantity in the IPL. His impressive performances for the Delhi Capitals, especially controlling the death overs with his varied skillset made him stand out as one to watch out for in the future. Rasikh Dar was equally impressive in the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), where he bagged 11 wickets in just seven innings, going at an economy rate of 7.46. With RCB’s apparent death bowling struggles, Rasikh Dar Salam will be looked at as a solution to their problems.
Suyash Sharma
The Royal Challengers Bangalore’s search for their next leg break specialist lands them Suyash Sharma this time around. Ever since Yuzvendra Chahal left the franchise, RCB have been on the look out for a dependable leg spinner. They tried both Wanindu Hasaranga and Karn Sharma, but without any answer. The 21-year-old himself has been under the cosh with underwhelming performances both in last year’s IPL and this season’s SMAT.
Following a breakthrough campaign in 2023, where he played ten games and picked up 11 wickets, going at 8.23 runs per over. Suyash Sharma played just two games in KKR’s title-winning run last season. Being the only leg spinner in the squad, a lot will be riding on the young 21-year-old’s shoulders. Defending small boundaries in the Chinnaswamy has always been a challenge for any bowler, and being an inexperienced leggy, it will be fascinating to witness where Suyash Sharma ends up.
Yash Dayal
After the heartache and tears of 2023, 27-year-old Yash Dayal eradicated any insecurities by asserting himself as the lead bowler in the RCB attack as he was the only bowler to be retained by the franchise (5 cr) after Virat Kohli (21 cr) and Rajat Patidar (11 cr). The Allahabad born bowler picked up 15 wickets and went at 9.15 runs per over, which is commendable considering half of his 14 games were played at the Chinnaswamy.
Both his new ball and death bowling have improved considerably, as evident with his performances throughout IPL 2024. While he didn’t play in SMAT 2024, he played three Vijaya Hazare Trophy games for Uttar Pradesh taking four wickets and going at just five runs per over. With quality additions like Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood, Yadav will have plenty of assistance this time around.
Jitesh Sharma
RCB for a long time have struggled with their middle-order. They have made some quality additions this time around, but only time will tell if they all fit in. In last year’s slow and tricky wickets at Mullanpur, Jitesh Sharma struggled to get going, ending a dismal IPL 2024 with just 187 runs in 12 games at 132 (S/R). However, it does not provide context to how well he has performed in the two years prior.
As a finisher for the Punjab Kings, Jitesh Sharma scored 234 runs at a strike-rate of 164 during the 2022 season. The following year, the 31-year-old wicketkeeper batsman scored 309 in 14 games at a strike-rate of 156. Those were with long boundaries in Mohali, at the Chinnaswamy, both his volume of runs and strike-rate will surge. RCB have long been waiting for a dependable #5 and they might have just found one.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar
The type of seamers RCB have invested in, it looks like they’re looking to bowl teams out in the PowerPlay overs itself, before matters could go into the slog and death overs. The likes of Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar himself are both new ball specialists. People have understood by now that it is nearly impossible to defend targets in the Chinnaswamy Stadium, and thus, RCB will look to exploit the conditions with the new ball, with two genuine new-ball bowlers in their ranks.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar, playing for the Sunrisers Hyderabad last season, wasn’t really among the wickets. He picked up 11 wickets in 16 games and had a respectable economy rate of 9.3. Unlike the flat pitches at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, the pitches at the Chinnaswamy have helped seamers in the past, at least with the new ball.
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