The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) franchise has managed to build a strong squad at the IPL 2025 mega auction, and even the franchise becomes the first team to hold a pre-season camp.
However, most of the Indian players took part in the RCB’s pre-season camp except for Virat Kohli. Virat Kohli is currently on national duty, playing in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Australia.
The former Indian skipper failed to carry his Perth form into the Adelaide Test, where the tourists suffered a crushing defeat of 10 wickets against Australia in the Day-Night Test.
RCB’s IPL 2025 plans revealed as Virat Kohli to open with overseas star
Amidst the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 actions and Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s pre-season camp, a sheet is going viral on social media, which revealed the players that the franchise targeted at the IPL 2025 mega auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, last month.
The viral sheet of the RCB has confirmed that Virat Kohli will continue to play as an opener for the Bengaluru outfit in next year’s IPL 2025, and his opening partner will be an overseas star, either Phil Salt or Jacob Bethell.
Interestingly, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru had wished to buy Venkatesh Iyer, but the Kolkata Knight Riders brought back the all-rounder on a whopping bid of INR 23.75 crore.
The franchise wanted Venkatesh Iyer to provide firepower at the very important number three position, but the Kolkata Knight Riders snapped him up at the record price at the mega auction. Rajat Patidar will bat at number four for the RCB in the IPL 2025.
David Miller, Kagiso Rabada, Yuzvendra Chahal and Mitchell Starc on RCB’s radar
Meanwhile, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru wanted to sign South African hitter David Miller, but Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) went ahead of them and placed a high bid of INR 7.50 crore to bring him on the board at the IPL 2025 auction in November 2024.
However, the RCB managed to acquire the services of Liam Livingstone and Tim David at the mega auction, and one of them would take the number five spot, followed by Jitesh Sharma at No. 6 and an Indian batter at No. 7, as per the viral planning of the franchise.
On the other hand, Kagiso Rabada and Mitchell Starc were also on the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s radar, but the South African pace sensation has joined the Gujarat Titans for a whopping INR 10.75 crore, and the Australian pacer was signed by Delhi Capitals for INR 11.75 crore in the mega auction.
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Bengaluru team couldn’t also afford T Natarajan
The Bengaluru team couldn’t also afford T Natarajan, who was sold to the Delhi Capitals (DC) for INR 10.75 crore; Prasidh Krishna, who joined the Gujarat Titans for INR 9.50 crore; and Arshdeep Singh, who was snapped up by the Punjab Kings for a staggering INR 18 crore at the auction, as well.
Yash Dayal will be their 11th player in the line-up. Surprisingly, RCB also wanted to bring their most successful spinner, Yuzvendra Chahal, to the IPL 2025 mega auction, but Punjab Kings broke the bank for him and signed him for INR 18 crore.
#RCB target players for #IPL2025 Auction👇 pic.twitter.com/69OPZV5MEl
— RCBIANS OFFICIAL (@RcbianOfficial) December 10, 2024