India, Oct. 26 -- The Royal Challengers Bengaluru won their maiden IPL title in 2025. What they would now aim for is to build a legacy like the Mumbai Indians or the Chennai Super Kings. To convert one title win into legacy, the biggest requirement is to have a strong core. The IPL 2026 mini-auction is around the corner, and the defending champions will be looking to recalibrate their squad while keeping the winning core going.

RCB would be looking to double down on their strike-rate DNA with Phil Salt and Tim David, keep their run-bank in Virat Kohli, and protect a three-tier bowling core led by Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Yash Dayal.

Retaining Virat Kohli is non-negotiable; he remains the volume plus tempo stabiliser, espec...