Former Royal Challengers Bangalore batsman Dinesh Karthik recently chose his all-time playing XI for the franchise ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. The batting coach shared his lineup in a video on Cricbuzz YouTube channel and criticized veteran batsman Virat Kohli for captaining the team.
Notably, the Bengaluru-based franchise will enter the IPL 2026 season as the defending champions for the first time in their league history. They won their first title last year under the leadership of Rajat Patidar. The team will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Bengaluru to begin their IPL campaign on Saturday, March 28.
Rajat Patidar made captain in place of Virat Kohli in RCB’s all-time playing eleven
Dinesh Karthik chose Chris Gayle and Faf du Plessis for opening batting for his team. Gayle scored 3,163 runs with five centuries during his franchise career. Du Plessis, meanwhile, played three seasons as captain, scoring 1,636 runs in 45 matches with 15 half-centuries.
Karthik included Virat Kohli at number three. Kohli remains the leading run-scorer with 8,661 runs in 259 matches at an average of 39.55, which included 63 half-centuries and eight centuries.
The former cricketer chose Rajat Patidar to bat at number four and made him the captain. Patidar led the franchise to its first championship during the 2025 season.
Dinesh Karthik chose AB de Villiers and Jitesh Sharma in the middle order.
Dinesh Karthik chose AB de Villiers and Jitesh Sharma in the middle order. The South African batsman scored 4,491 runs in 156 matches for the franchise, including 37 half-centuries and two centuries, before he retired from all forms of franchise cricket after the end of the 2021 season.
Karthik placed Jitesh Sharma and Krunal Pandya at sixth and seventh position respectively. Both players recently joined the team and played a key role during the title-winning campaign in the 2025 edition.
The left-arm spinner won three Player of the Match awards in the 2025 season. The wicketkeeper-batsman had led the franchise even in the absence of Patidar last year.
Dinesh Karthik named Yuzvendra Chahal and Josh Hazlewood in the bowling attack.
In the bowling department, Dinesh Karthik chose Harshal Patel at number eight. Patel took 99 wickets for the franchise and won the Purple Cap in the 2021 season. Karthik chose fast bowler Mohammed Siraj, who had taken 83 wickets in 87 matches before joining Gujarat Titans.
Karthik supported experienced leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal as the specialist spinner. Chahal was a part of the franchise from 2014 to 2021 and took 139 wickets in 113 matches. He chose Australian seamer Josh Hazlewood, who returned as the leading wicket-taker during last year’s championship with 22 wickets.
The cricketer turned commentator named Devdutt Padikkal and Bhuvneshwar Kumar as his two named influential players.
Dinesh Karthik’s all-time RCB XI: Chris Gayle, Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar (captain), AB de Villiers, Jitesh Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal, Josh Hazlewood.
Influential players: Devdutt Padikkal, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar.
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