Yash Dayal IPL 2026 Availability- RCB Issues Official Update

Yash Dayal [Source: X]

In a significant development, RCB issued a massive update on the Yash Dayal IPL 2026 availability. Left-arm pacer Yash Dayal is undergoing through a personal crisis, having been accused of sexual harassment. 

As revealed earlier, the left-arm speedster has yet to join the RCB squad for IPL 2026. Amid the uncertainties, the Royal Challengers management have issued an official update on the Yash Dayal IPL 2026 availability days prior to their highly anticipated opening encounter against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. 

Yash Dayal not to join RCB IPL 2026 squad, Mo Bobat confirms

Mo Bobat, the Director of Cricket at Royal Challengers Bengaluru, has confirmed that Yash Dayal won't join the RCB IPL 2026 squad for the upcoming season. 

However, as revealed by Cricbuzz, he has stated that the player will remain contracted by the defending champions. 

"He's going through a personal situation. He remains under contract," Mo Bobat said as quoted by Cricbuzz. 

Bobat referred to the legal trouble, which Dayal is facing at the moment. The fast bowler faced multiple charges of sexual exploitation, grabbing the limelight for wrong reasons during the IPL 2025. 

Also read: RCB, KSCA Announce Special Tribute For Chinnaswamy Stampede Victims In IPL 2026

In fact, the Royal Challengers' fans slammed the franchise for keeping him in the RCB IPL 2026 squad. Amid all the drama, Dayal married to content creator Shweta Pundir. 

Thus, the Yash Dayal IPL 2026 availability emerges as a massive concern for the defending champions, as they gear up for the season opener against SRH. The 28-year-old has decent numbers in the Royal Challengers jersey, having scalped 28 wickets at a strike rate of 21.25. 

RCB grappled by pace bowling crisis before IPL 2026

For the unversed, Josh Hazlewood has already been tipped to miss a few matches for the Royal Challengers in the IPL 2026. The Australian fast bowler has yet to recover from the fitness setbacks, including an Achilles injury which kept him out of the Ashes. 

Now, with the Yash Dayal IPL 2026 availability setback, the Royal Challengers are battling with a severe pace-bowling crisis heading to the 2026 edition. 

While Bhuvneshwar Kumar is expected to spearhead the RCB bowling attack, the defending champions might rope in Romario Shepherd and Jacob Duffy to strengthen their lineup. 

Yash Dayal's replacement for IPL 2026

Mo Bobat didn't reveal whether the Royal Challengers would pick Yash Dayal's replacement for IPL 2026. 

However, given that they have several promising fast bowlers in their squad, the Royal Challengers are likely to bring in either Mangesh Yadav or Rasikh Dar into the playing XI in Dayal's absence. 

Mangesh Yadav recently grabbed the limelight through an impressive spell in the Royal Challengers' intra-squad match. He joined the RCB IPL 2026 squad for a whopping price of INR 5.20 crore. 

On the other hand, Rasikh Dar is hailed for his deceptive slow balls. As Bhuvneshwar is set to lead their bowling attack, Dar can be a potent weapon in the middle and death overs. However, Mangesh, being a left-arm pacer, can pip him in the race for Yash Dayal's IPL 2026 replacement. 

Also read: SRH Announce Surprise IPL Replacement For Australia Player Before 2026 Season