Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 The auction is just around the corner, and so are the defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) Will be in the headlines once again. After winning their first IPL title in 2025 under the captaincy of Rajat PatidarRCB will enter the auction with new confidence and determination to build a strong unit. The franchise, known for its star-studded lineup and bold bidding decisions, is expected to make some aggressive and strategic moves in the upcoming auction.
Over the years, RCB has earned a reputation for spending big bucks on marquee players. like signing the global icon Kevin Pietersen And Yuvraj Singh Like investing heavily in international all-rounders kyle jamison And chris morrisThe franchise has always aimed to strike a perfect balance between flair and firepower. Ahead of the 2026 auction, let’s take a look back at RCB’s most expensive purchases in every IPL season since the beginning.
From Kevin Pietersen’s arrival to Yuvraj Singh’s mega deal – RCB’s checkered auction history
RCB’s auction history is replete with famous names and headline-grabbing bids. Their first major success came in 2009 when they signed Pietersen for Rs 9.8 crore, making him the most expensive player that season. The English superstar also led the team for a while, but his tenure was short-lived.
In the 2014 auction, RCB broke records by spending Rs 14 crore on Yuvraj, who was performing brilliantly in the World T20. Although Yuvraj performed well, RCB released him the following year, one of the most controversial moves in IPL history.
In 2017, he again attracted attention by investing Rs 12 crore in the English pacer Tymal MillsHope to fill the void left Mitchell StarcSimilarly, in 2021, RCB made headlines by buying Jamieson for Rs 15 crore, which was their highest bid at that time,
The franchise continued to support all-rounders and impact players shane watsonMorris, and Wanindu HasarangaShowing a clear strategy of investing in multi-dimensional cricketers who can perform well in all formats.
Also read: IPL 2026: Royal Challengers Bangalore – This is why the RCB name and brand will remain intact
RCB’s most expensive player bought in every IPL auction
| Year | player | Price (in INR) |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | jacques calis | 3.8 crores |
| 2009 | Kevin Pietersen | 9.8 crores |
| 2010 | eoin morgan | 1.1 crore |
| 2011 | -Saurabh Tiwari | 7 crores |
| 2012 | Vinay Kumar | 5.3 crores |
| 2013 | Jaydev Unadkat | 2.83 crores |
| 2014 | Yuvraj Singh | 14 crores |
| 2015 | Dinesh Karthik | 10.5 crores |
| 2016 | shane watson | 9.5 crores |
| 2017 | Tymal Mills | 12 crores |
| 2018 | Chris Woakes | 7.4 crores |
| 2019 | Shivam Dubey | 50 million |
| 2020 | chris morris | 100 million |
| 2021 | kyle jamison | 15 crores |
| 2022 | Wanindu Hasaranga | 10.75 crores |
| 2023 | will jacks | 3.2 crores |
| 2024 | Alzarri Joseph | 11.50 crores |
| 2025 | Josh Hazlewood | 12.50 crores |
Also read: Royal Challengers Bangalore: RCB may retain 5 Indian players before IPL 2026 auction
