In the first part of our IPL 2026 auction analysis, we took a look at the squads of Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Titans, Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants.
In the second part of the series, we will analyse defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, alongside last year’s runners-up Punjab Kings, five-time champions Mumbai Indians, inaugural winners Rajasthan Royals and 2016 victorians Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Auction Buys: Venkatesh Iyer (7 cr), Mangesh Yadav (5.2 cr), Jacob Duffy (2 cr), Satwik Deswal (30 L), Jordan Cox (75 L), Vihaan Malhotra (30 L), Kanishk Chouhan (30 L), Vicky Ostwal (30 L)
Predicted Playing XII:
Phil Salt
Virat Kohli
Venkatesh Iyer
Rajat Patidar
Jitesh Sharma
Tim David
Krunal Pandya
Romario Shepherd
Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Suyash Sharma
Josh Hazlewood
Impact Sub: Yash Dayal/Mangesh Yadav
RCB Analysis
For almost two decades in this competition, the lion’s share of focus in every auction was on RCB, as they were inevitably the busiest. This edition saw a complete reversal of it, as Bengaluru were among the more relaxed outfits.
The defending champions barely had any vacancies to fill, yet, they still somehow managed to strengthen an already formidable squad with the addition of Venkatesh Iyer, who might have struggled to live up to his price tag last year, but has otherwise been a reliable performer in this competition.
That aside, Bengaluru could also added to their Indian pace options, which they did in the form of Mangesh Yadav. The left-arm pacer from Madhya Pradesh has represented his state only twice, but if you were following Madhya Pradesh Premier League, you would know that Yadav was the tournament’s unparalleled best bowler, picking up 14 wickets at an average of just 12.
Overall Rating: 10/10
Rajasthan Royals
Auction Buys: Ravi Bishnoi (7.20 cr), Ravi Singh (95 L), Sushant Mishra (90 L), Vignesh Puthur (30 L), Yash Raj Punja (30 L), Aman Rao (30 L), Brijesh Sharma (30 L), Kuldeep Sen (75 L), Adam Milne (2.40 cr)
Predicted Playing XII:
Yashasvi Jaiswal
Vaibhav Suryavanshi
Lhuan-dre Pretorius/Ravi Singh
Riyan Parag
Dhruv Jurel
Shimron Hetmyer
Ravindra Jadeja
Sam Curran
Jofra Archer
Ravi Bishnoi
Tushar Deshpande/Nandre Burger
Impact Sub: Sandeep Sharma
RR Analysis
Following IPL 2025 auction, The Quint gave Rajasthan Royals the lowest rating, and the analysis was validated by their performance, as they finished in the penultimate position. Not that their current squad has the making of a champion team like Bengaluru, but it has to be admitted that they look much better than last season.
Having released both Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga, Rajasthan returned to their policy of trusting an Indian player for the spin role, with the acquisition of Ravi Bishnoi. In Vignesh Puthur, who might not be available for the upcoming season, Rajasthan also have a decent backup for 2027.
Where Rajasthan are still lacking is their Indian pace department, albeit options were limited, and it is a drawback that might not be fixed before the next mega auction. The return of Kuldeep Sen, though, provides the management with a decent alternative to the likes of Tushar Deshpande and Sandeep Sharma.
Overall Rating: 7/10
Mumbai Indians
Auction Buys: Quinton de Kock (1 cr), Mohammad Izhar (30 L), Danish Malewar (30 L), Atharva Ankolekar (30 L), Mayank Rawat (30 L)
Predicted Playing XII
Rohit Sharma
Quinton de Kock
Suryakumar Yadav
Tilak Varma
Hardik Pandya
Sherfane Rutherford
Naman Dhir
Deepak Chahar
Jasprit Bumrah
Trent Boult
Allah Ghazanfar
Impact Sub: Shardul Thakur/Mayank Markande
MI Analysis
Mumbai Indians, strangely enough, had done most of their business in the trade window by signing Sherfane Rutherford and Shardul Thakur. With Rs 2.75 crore to spend, they added some comic relief to the auction by registering the first bid for Cameron Green.
With the limited purse that they did, Mumbai did well to sign Quinton de Kock, who is expected to dethrone his fellow South African teammate, Ryan Rickleton, from the opening slot.
They have also added decent uncapped backups. Mohammed Izhar, for example, is a left-arm seamer from Bihar who has had an excellent debut SMAT campaign for Bihar, and could just slot in if both Deepak Chahar and Shardul Thakur are having challenging campaigns.
Overall Rating: 9/10
Punjab Kings
Auction Buys: Ben Dwarshuis (4.40 cr), Cooper Connolly (2 cr), Praveen Dubey (30 L), Vishal Nishad (30 L)
Predicted Playing XII:
Priyansh Arya
Prabhsimran Singh
Shreyas Iyer
Marcus Stoinis
Mitch Owen/Cooper Connolly/Azmatullah Omarzai
Nehal Wadhera
Shashank Singh
Marco Jansen
Arshdeep Singh
Yuzvendra Chahal
Lockie Ferguson
Impact Sub: Harpreet Brar
PBKS Analysis
With the second-lowest purse of Rs 11.50 crore, Punjab, like Mumbai, were expected to be spectators for the majority of the auction, and they were. When they chose to be participants, however, they acquired an exciting Australian youngster in Cooper Connolly.
The 22-year-old has had a difficult start to his T20I career, but is highly rated in Australia for what he has produced for Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League last season, where he scored 351 runs at an average of over 50, and also took six wickets. It will be between him, Mitch Owen and Azmatullah Omarzai to seal the second overseas all-rounder spot.
Barring him, Punjab added another Australian to Ricky Ponting’s Aussie assemblage, in Ben Dwarshuis. A case can be raised for more recognised options being ignored, with the likes of Naveen-ul-Haq, Gerald Coetzee and Will O’Rourke not getting bids, though 20 wickets in 13 T20I matches for Australia are a good look on Dwarshuis.
Overall Rating: 8/10
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Auction Buys: Liam Livingstone (13 cr), Jack Edwards (3 cr), Salil Arora (1.50 cr), Shivang Kumar (30 L), Sakib Hussain (30 L), Onkar Tarmale (30 L), Krains Fuletra (30 L), Praful Hinge (30 L), Amit Kumar (30 L), Shivam Mavi (75 L)
Predicted Playing XII:
Travis Head
Abhishek Sharma
Ishan Kishan
Nitish Kumar Reddy
Heinrich Klaasen
Liam Livingstone
Aniket Varma
Pat Cummins
Harsh Dubey
Shivam Mavi
Harshal Patel
Impact Sub: Zeeshan Ansari/Jaydev Unadkat
SRH Analysis
Hyderabad’s obsession with power-hitters is not dampening any time soon, as they spent most of their purse on English all-rounder Liam Livingstone, despite him scoring 112 runs at an average of just 16 for RCB in IPL 2025.
However, they did little to galvanise their bowling attack, which was their Achilles’ heel last season. They freed up purse by releasing Mohammed Shami, but with Livingstone getting most of it, Hyderabad will have to rely on either Shivam Mavi, or the likes of untested Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain.
Hyderabad secured a promising youngster in Salil Arora — the wicketkeeper-batter from Punjab who has a career T20 strike rate of nearly 200. He could replace Aniket Varma in the playing XII, but the bowling concerns remain.