Royal Challengers Bengaluru, a team known for their fluctuating performances over the years, is rightly saying that they always find themselves in a situation akin to “always the bridesmaid, never the bride.” Despite having several big names, the team have yet to win an IPL trophy. Their recent performance in IPL 2024 was dramatic, the team lost six matches in the first half of the season but managed to turn things around in the second half, ultimately making it to the playoffs. However, they were defeated in the eliminator by the Rajasthan Royals.
With IPL 2025 approaching and anticipation surrounding the mega auction, massive changes are expected within the RCB camp. Also, the mega auction is coming. Last time, the mega auction was held in 2022, where each team was allowed a limited number of retentions, with the remaining players going back to the auction pool. Team is big and so the anticipation among fans, let’s take a look at a few names that RCB will likely make every effort to retain.
Players RCB could retain for IPL 2025
| Player | Role | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | Batter | 15 crores |
| Will Jacks | All rounder | 3.2 crore |
| Mohammed Siraj | Bowler | 8 crore |
Virat Kohli
No doubt, RCB will go beyond their limits to retain the run machine, Virat Kohli. He has always been one of the reasons why RCB has such a global reach. The star batter, in 252 matches, has amassed over 8,000 runs to date, all while wearing the Bangalore franchise jersey.
Speaking of his IPL 2024 stats, Kohli has scored 741 runs in 15 matches so far this season, with a strike rate of 154.70. He is an invaluable asset for RCB, particularly since he has been opening the innings alongside Faf du Plessis. We can expect him to continue in this role moving forward.
Aslo, we must consider that RCB might release Faf du Plessis, as the franchise may look for a new captain. In this scenario, it would be crucial for RCB to retain at least one star opener, making it likely that Virat Kohli could get the retention. At the age of 35, Virat Kohli remains a valuable asset for RCB.
Will Jacks
One more name that the franchise will definitely not want to leave out is Will Jacks. The 25-year-old English all-rounder has been a boon to the team with his versatile abilities. He also smashed the second-fastest century in IPL 2024, reaching the milestone in just 41 balls.
Everyone is well-versed in his acceleration while batting, with the game against the Gujarat Titans being a prime example. Jacks accelerated from fifty to a hundred in just 10 balls, reaching his half-century in the 14th over and achieving the century mark on the final ball of the 16th over.
Having played eight games to date this season, he has scored 230 runs with a breathtaking strike rate of 175.57. Although he hasn’t bowled much in the IPL 2024 season, his batting prowess makes it likely that Jacks’ name will be retained by RCB ahead of the IPL 2025.
Mohammed Siraj
Although Siraj’s inclusion on the retention list might be debatable, since this star Indian bowler has not had consistent seasons and has shown some inconsistency in his bowling, it is also true that RCB has always struggled due to a lack of quality bowlers. While they have the batting strength to score runs, they need bowlers to defend those totals. In this context, it seems likely that Siraj will be included in the retention list if RCB aims to solidify their bowling attack.
As an experienced right-arm pacer, Siraj is expected to lead the bowling pack for the Bengaluru franchise. Considering his performances to date in the IPL, having played for two franchises, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Siraj is about to reach 100 IPL games, with 93 games and 93 wickets to his name, alongside a decent economy rate of 8.65. While RCB also have Yash Dayal, if they are aiming for their first IPL trophy, it is clear that they will likely prefer experienced players over younger inclusions, which could make Siraj a strong candidate for retention.
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