Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) invested heavily in international talent during Day 1 of the Indian Premier League 2025 mega auction in Jeddah, securing Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood for ₹12.50 crore and England opener Phil Salt for ₹11.50 crore.
The franchise added six new players to their roster, including wicketkeeper-batsman Jitesh Sharma (₹11 crore) and England all-rounder Liam Livingstone (₹8.75 crore). The team also acquired emerging talents Rasikh Dar (₹6 crore) and Suyash Sharma (₹2.60 crore).
RCB retained three players ahead of the auction: Virat Kohli (₹21 crore), Rajat Patidar (₹11 crore), and Yash Dayal (₹5 crore). The team still has ₹30.65 crore remaining in their purse for Day 2 of the auction.
With 16 player slots still to be filled, including five overseas positions, RCB holds three Right to Match (RTM) cards. The team will look to strengthen their squad further on Day 2 of the auction, where players from a total pool of 577 are available for selection.
This marks the first IPL auction to be held in Saudi Arabia, signaling the league’s expanding global footprint.
(Source: Sports Star)