Royal Challengers Bangalore is one of the most popular teams of the Indian Premier League, and the fans root for their stars with great enthusiasm. Each year, they believe that RCB is going to lift the IPL trophy this time, but so far, RCB has never won a single trophy and suffered numerous defeats. This year, to finally lift the trophy, RCB has assembled a solid team for IPL 2025 with a healthy mix of youth and experienced players.
A new captain, Rajat Patidar, has also been chosen, and he is all set to battle for the title. In this article today, we present to you the RCB Squad 2025, provide information on new and retained players, the game strategy, and information about three players who can dominate. So, let’s begin the article.
RCB’s History
RCB was started in 2008 by United Spirits and plays its home matches at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. There have been some of the biggest names in this team, including Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Chris Gayle, and many more, but despite this, RCB has not won a single title yet. It reached the finals in 2009, 2011, and 2016 but lost all of them.
The squad has qualified for the playoffs nine times and has consistently been competitive each season. Annually, it assures supporters that it will conquer the tournament and bring home the trophy. It qualified for the playoffs in 2024 but finished fourth and could not achieve the championship title. We have outlined a succinct overview of their history through a table below.
| RCB History | Details |
| Started | 2008 |
| Home Ground | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium |
| IPL Titles | 0 |
| Finals | 3 (2009, 2011, 2016) |
| Playoffs | 9 times |
RCB Squad 2025: Full Player List
In the IPL 2025, players includes in RCB Squad is 22, a mix of all-rounders, bowlers, and batsmen. RCB retained three players – Yash Dayal, Virat Kohli, and Rajat Patidar – from the November 2024 mega auction. RCB spent 37 crores on retainers, and 83 crores on the Jeddah auction. They strengthened their team with 19 players, and some of those star players included. We’ve placed their entire team in the form of a table below.
| Player Name | Role | Price (₹ Crore) |
| Virat Kohli | Batsman | 21 |
| Rajat Patidar | Batsman | 11 |
| Yash Dayal | Bowler | 5 |
| Liam Livingstone | All-rounder | 8.75 |
| Phil Salt | Wicketkeeper/Batsman | 11.5 |
| Jitesh Sharma | Wicketkeeper/Batsman | 11 |
| Josh Hazlewood | Bowler | 12.5 |
| Rasikh Dar | Bowler | 6 |
| Suyash Sharma | Bowler | 2.6 |
| Krunal Pandya | All-rounder | 5.75 |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Bowler | 10.75 |
| Swapnil Singh | All-rounder | 0.5 |
| Tim David | All-rounder | 3 |
| Romario Shepherd | All-rounder | 1.5 |
| Nuwan Thushara | Bowler | 1.6 |
| Manoj Bhandage | All-rounder | 0.3 |
| Jacob Bethell | All-rounder | 2.6 |
| Devdutt Padikkal | Batsman | 2 |
| Swastik Chhikara | Batsman | 0.3 |
| Lungi Ngidi | Bowler | 1 |
| Abhinandan Singh | Bowler | 0.3 |
| Mohit Rathee | All-rounder | 0.3 |
Retained Players
RCB retained three players for the 2025 season and wanted to establish a new team. We have stated the names of these three players below.
- RCB’s ace player Virat Kohli has been with the team since its inception. He is a leader and has been retained for 21 crores.
- Rajat Patidar – Retained for 11 crores and will also be the RCB captain this season. He is a solid middle-order batsman and will hopefully guide RCB to its maiden trophy with his captaincy.
- Yash Dayal has been kept at 5 crores. He is a young bowler who impressed everybody with his swing during the last year. RCB owners have faith in him that he can do a good job this time also, hence he has been kept.
| Retained Player | Role | Price (₹ Crore) |
| Virat Kohli | Batsman | 21 |
| Rajat Patidar | Batsman | 11 |
| Yash Dayal | Bowler | 5 |
Players They Let Go
RCB has also released many players from their team to free up slots and reveal a fresh squad. This includes big names like Faf du Plessis, Glenn Maxwell, and Mohammed Siraj. These players gave mixed performances, and RCB wanted a different approach. We have provided information about all the released players along with their roles in a table below.
| Released Player | Role |
| Faf du Plessis | Batsman |
| Glenn Maxwell | All-rounder |
| Mohammed Siraj | Bowler |
| Cameron Green | All-rounder |
| Will Jacks | All-rounder |
| Dinesh Karthik | Wicketkeeper/Batsman |
| Akash Deep | Bowler |
| Reece Topley | Bowler |
RCB Squad 2025: New Players Picked
RCB’s focus in the auction was balance. They spent heavily on big names like Josh Hazlewood, Phil Salt, and Jitesh Sharma and also made new additions like Liam Livingstone for power-hitting and Bhuvneshwar Kumar for experience. Youngsters like Swastik Chikara and Rasikh Dar also add depth. We have mentioned the details of the new players added, along with their prices, below.
| New Player | Role | Price (₹ Crore) |
| Josh Hazlewood | Bowler | 12.5 |
| Phil Salt | Wicketkeeper/Batsman | 11.5 |
| Jitesh Sharma | Wicketkeeper/Batsman | 11 |
| Liam Livingstone | All-rounder | 8.75 |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Bowler | 10.75 |
| Krunal Pandya | All-rounder | 5.75 |
| Rasikh Dar | Bowler | 6 |
| Devdutt Padikkal | Batsman | 2 |
How RCB Plans to Win in 2025
According to RCB’s strategy for the 2025 season, balance and adaptability have been prioritized. Considering Chinnaswamy Stadium favors batsmen, they have built a strong batting lineup. Virat Kohli will open the innings and aim for quick starts. The middle order, including Rajat Patidar, Liam Livingstone, and Jitesh Sharma, will hit big shots. All-rounders like Krunal Pandya and Tim David will add flexibility, helping both batting and bowling.
Last season, bowling was a big weak point for RCB, so they invested in pacers like Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Yash Dayal to take early wickets. Spinners like Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma will control the middle overs. The team aims to pick the best playing 11 based on data to adapt to opponents and conditions.
| Game Plan | Details |
| Batting | Fast starts, big middle-order hits |
| Bowling | Early wickets, control in middle |
| Focus | Teamwork, no pressure, smart changes |
| Home Edge | Use Chinnaswamy’s flat pitch |
RCB Squad 2025: Predicted Playing XI
In the expected playing 11 of RCB, we will see a good balance of experience and youth. Virat Kohli will open the innings, followed by a solid middle order. The bowling includes both pace and spin, with all-rounders available. Although the predicted playing 11 may change in some matches based on fitness and availability, the most likely lineup for every match is given below.
| Position | Player |
| 1 (Opener) | Virat Kohli |
| 2 (Opener) | Phil Salt |
| 3 | Devdutt Padikkal |
| 4 (Captain) | Rajat Patidar |
| 5 | Liam Livingstone |
| 6 | Jitesh Sharma |
| 7 | Tim David |
| 8 | Krunal Pandya |
| 9 | Josh Hazlewood |
| 10 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar |
| 11 | Yash Dayal |
| Impact Sub | Suyash Sharma |
Top 3 Players For IPL 2025
RCB’s top three players who can make a big difference are Virat Kohli, Josh Hazlewood, and Liam Livingstone.
- Virat Kohli is RCB’s biggest star, with over 8,000 IPL runs and 8 centuries. In 2024, he scored 741 runs with a strike rate above 150. His job is to anchor the innings and guide young players. Fans expect him to lead the team to the trophy every time.
- Josh Hazlewood is RCB’s most expensive buy at 12.50 crores. His ability to swing the ball and bowl accurately makes him deadly. He has taken 12 wickets in 12 IPL games for RCB and will lead the bowling attack.
- Liam Livingstone’s power-hitting and off-spin make him a game-changer. He is good at scoring runs and bats well in the middle order. His experience in big matches will help RCB in tight games.
RCB’s Recent Performances
The IPL 2025 season has started, and RCB has played a few games. They lost their first match against Kolkata Knight Riders on 22 March but bounced back to defeat Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians. Rajat Patidar’s leadership is looking good, and Virat Kohli’s form is strong. The bowling unit, including Hazlewood, is also performing well, and consistency is evident in the current season.
| Match | Opponent | Result |
| March 22, 2025 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Lost |
| March 28, 2025 | Chennai Super Kings | Won |
| April 6, 2025 | Mumbai Indians | Won |
Conclusion
RCB Squad 2025 is a fresh start with Virat Kohli and new faces like Liam Livingstone, who brings aggressive batting and smart bowling, adapting well in every game. Rajat Patidar is its captain, and RCB is in a strong position this season, looking like the strongest team. Fans are very excited and hope that in 2025, RCB will finally register its first victory. What is your opinion on this? You can share by commenting.
FAQs :
Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (C), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, with Suyash Sharma as impact sub.
Rajat Patidar is RCB’s captain for 2025, taking over from Faf du Plessis.
No major change; RCB’s 2025 jersey stays red and black with minor sponsor updates.
The term “RCB 49” likely refers to their 49-run win over CSK in 2011 finals.
RCB wears a green jersey for select matches to promote their “Go Green” eco-friendly initiative.
