Royal Challengers Bengaluru had their best ever-season in IPL 2025 as they ended their 18-year-old wait to lift their maiden title. While the bowling department was one of the best area of improvement for the side in the season, it was the batters who kept the team going with their consistency. From the formidable opening duo of Virat Kohli and Phil Salt to designated finisher Jitesh Sharma acing his role, RCB don’t have a lot to worry about in terms of their batting unit.
November 15 is the deadline for teams to finalize on their retentions ahead of the IPL 2026 mini-auction. RCB surely won’t want to make a lot of changes to their batting line-up, given that they have found the perfect combination just in the last season. Ahead of the deadline, let’s take a look at some of the top batters that RCB should retain for IPL 2026.
Top batters RCB should retain for IPL 2026
1. Virat Kohli
On top of the list is undoubtedly the poster boy of RCB and the former captain King Kohli himself. With 8661 runs to his name, he is the highest run-getter in IPL so far, leaving behind the 2nd placed Rohit Sharma by a huge margin. In IPL 2025, Virat proved that he’s no where close to done, finishing with 657 runs to his name from 15 matches at a mind-boggling average of 54.75. After a lull period between 2019-2022, Kohli has managed to go past 600 runs in the last three seasons.
2. Phil Salt
RCB’s gamble to acquire the services of the England batter paid off as he emerged as one of their best batters in IPL 2025. He amassed 403 runs in 13 matches, averaging 33.58 and even struck 4 fifties. Paired alongside Virat Kohli, the duo were one of the most destructive opening combinations in IPL 2025 and RCB surely wouldn’t want to tinker with that even one bit. Besides, Salt’s red-hot form from 2024 where KKR lifted the title was one of the main reasons why they targeted the opener.
3. Rajat Patidar
Apart from captaining the side to their maiden IPL trophy, Patidar is also one of RCB’s most reliable batters. Besides his red-hot form off late, the MP batter showcased his ability to score runs when needed, amassing 312 runs from 15 matches in IPL 2025, including two half-centuries. While the batter is currently out of action for four months, Rajat is expected to be fit in time for IPL 2026.
4. Jitesh Sharma
Another buy at the mega auction who aced his role to perfection was the keeper-batter. Making his move from PBKS, Jitesh created most impact as a finisher for RCB, scoring 261 runs in 15 matches. RCB will be more than happy to retain him.
