![Royal Challengers Bengaluru [Source: AFP]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1773912125986_RCB IPL 2026.jpg)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru [Source: AFP]
Royal Challengers Bengaluru will enter the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026) as defending champions. The team will begin their title defense on March 28 against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Under the leadership of captain Rajat Patidar, RCB looks confident after winning their first IPL trophy in 2025. Moreover, the team will aim to carry forward this winning momentum and show that their previous success was well deserved.
As the IPL 2026 season begins, RCB will depend on their uncapped players to step up and deliver strong performances. Therefore, as the team prepares for the tournament, it is important to look at the uncapped players who could make a big impact this season.
RCB's uncapped stars in focus for IPL 2026
Suyash Sharma
Suyash Sharma enters IPL 2026 as an exciting young spinner. Notably, he is considered one of the most promising talents and could have an outstanding season. At the age of 22, he has already shown good form in domestic cricket, which adds to his value as an emerging player.
In the previous IPL season for RCB, he took 8 wickets in 14 matches and maintained an economy rate of 8.84. Although the wicket count may not appear very high, his ability to control runs made him effective for the team. In addition, his disciplined bowling helped maintain pressure on the opposition.
Furthermore, in the SMAT 2025 season, he picked up 11 wickets in 7 innings with an impressive economy rate of 7.11. This performance shows his growth and consistency. As a result, Suyash Sharma could play a key role for RCB in the upcoming season if he continues this form.
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Mangesh Yadav
Mangesh Yadav is a right-handed batter who started his career as a left-arm wrist spinner. Later on, he shifted to fast bowling, which added a new dimension to his game. Recently, he gained attention for his all-round performance in the SMAT, where he scored 28 runs in one innings and also took 3 wickets in 2 innings.
Interestingly, he made his domestic debut only two days before the IPL auction. Despite limited experience, RCB showed strong interest and bought him for 5.2 crore. So far, he has played only T20 matches for Madhya Pradesh and has taken three wickets in two games.
In addition, last year, he performed well in the MP T20 League by taking 14 wickets in six matches. His ability to bowl effectively and contribute with the bat in the lower order makes him a valuable player.
Therefore, if Mangesh gets enough opportunities, he could turn out to be one of the standout performers this season.
Rasikh Salam
Rasikh Salam has been retained by RCB for the IPL 2026 season to strengthen their pace attack. He was part of the title-winning squad in 2025 and was retained for 6 crore. During the previous season, he played only two matches and took one wicket. Even though his opportunities were limited, he has the potential to perform better if given more chances.
Overall, he has played 42 T20 matches and has taken 50 wickets with an economy rate of 8.47. Moreover, he is known for his pace and ability to swing the ball, which makes him effective in different phases of the game.
In addition, his experience in domestic cricket and exposure to different teams can help him improve further. Therefore, if he gets regular opportunities, Rasikh Salam could become a key player for RCB and strengthen their bowling unit significantly.
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