Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) may be the defending champions, but the upcoming IPL 2026 is already bringing new selection tension inside the camp, and Venkatesh Iyer will be the main point of issue.
They will begin their IPL 2026 campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on March 28 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Royal Challengers Bangalore will aim to make a fresh start by winning the title after 18 years.
Venkatesh Iyer gave big team selection problem
Ahead of the start of the season, former Indian batsman Mohammad Kaif feels that the defending champions may face a big headache while choosing their best playing XI. RCB spent Rs 7 crore on Venkatesh Iyer in the IPL 2026 auction, but fitting him into the team will not be easy at all.
Also read: “Abhishek Sharma’s breakout season was not fair” – Big statement from the former Indian opener before IPL 2026
Kaif has pointed out that Devdutt Padikkal has been in sensational form since IPL 2025 and he has carried that form forward in domestic cricket, which puts RCB in a difficult position. And then the conditions in Bengaluru are suitable for batsmen who like to attack and enjoy the pace of the ball.
“The Bangalore wicket favors batsmen who play on the edge, who like to hit shots and who play fast bowling well. Venkatesh likes pace on the ball. Now there is competition in the 11s,” Mohammad Kaif said in a video posted on his YouTube channel.
I don’t know where they’ll play him. Devdutt Padikkal has performed very well. Talk about Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Virat Kohli or the coaches; Now he has created a very good atmosphere there. He gave roles to players, whether it was Tim David or Romario Shepherd, and everyone did their best. They are creating players now; That’s the difference.”
Mohammad Kaif called it a big headache for RCB
The cricket pundit also highlighted the major concern from RCB’s side. Josh Hazlewood will miss the initial part of IPL 2026 and this could hurt RCB initially.
The former Indian batsman also feels that RCB may choose New Zealand fast bowler Jacob Duffy in the playing eleven as a replacement for Josh Hazlewood. He believes that the pitch at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru is not completely flat yet and has a bit of spongy bounce, which could help Duffy.
However, Kaif believes that the 2025 IPL winners have shown that they know how to deal with such problems. Last season, they surprised many teams by restricting them below 150 thanks to the brilliant bowling of Suyyash Sharma and Krunal Pandya.
Krunal Pandya and Suyyash Sharma will have to play big
Now, with Liam Livingstone not in the team, RCB may have to rely more on specialist spin options. Kaif feels that Pandya and Suyyash will now have to carry the heavy burden in the spin department for the Rajat Patidar-led side, as playing three specialist spinners could weaken the pace attack.
“Now they have to go with two spinners. If they play three spinners, they have to leave out a fast bowler because you let go of an all-rounder in Livingstone. So, I see only Krunal and Suyyash starting. Both had good control and accuracy. Both have become smart bowlers, and this time too there will be a lot of responsibility on them,” Kaif said.
Also Read: IPL 2026 Injury Update Live: Complete List of Injured Players, Replacements and Latest News