Before IPL 2026, defending champion Royal Challengers Bangalore has suffered a big setback. The team’s fast bowler Yash Dayal is out of the entire season. The franchise has made it clear that he will not be available due to personal reasons. However, he remains under the contract of the team.

The biggest challenge for RCB now is who will replace him in the playing eleven. Because the team cannot release him, no new player can be added from outside. This means that RCB will have to look for options from its existing squad.

Mangesh Yadav: The biggest contender

The strongest name coming forward to replace Yash Dayal is Mangesh Yadav. He is also a left arm fast bowler, so the team can get the same angles and variety that Dayal used to give. Recently, his performance in the team’s internal matches has also been good, which has further strengthened his claim.

Rasikh Salaam: Specialist in death overs

The second big option is Rasikh Salaam. He is a right arm medium pacer and is known for his slower balls. His experience in T20 cricket is also very good. This bowler, who has taken 50 wickets in 42 matches, can be used especially in the middle and death overs.

Abhinandan Singh: Opportunity for youth enthusiasm

Abhinandan Singh’s name is also in discussion as the third option. He was a part of RCB’s title team last season. His performance in the UP T20 League was quite impressive. This bowler, who has taken 15 wickets in 11 matches, may get a chance, especially if the team shows confidence in the young players.

The challenge of balance before the team

Yash Dayal was an important player for RCB last season. In his absence, the team will have to change its bowling combination. Now it will be interesting to see whether the team management gives priority to experience or gives opportunities to young players. This time in IPL 2026, RCB will try to defend its title.

When 23-year-old Mangesh Yadav’s name was mentioned in the IPL 2026 auction, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Sunrisers Hyderabad were eager to buy him. Mangesh Yadav has been bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs 5.20 crore. SRH also tried their best to buy this Indian bowler, but Hyderabad did not bid more than Rs 5 crore.

Mangesh Yadav is a left arm fast bowler and also bats strongly. The bid went so high especially on Mangesh for being a left arm fast bowler. He comes from Madhya Pradesh, his base price was Rs 30 lakh, but in the auction RCB bought him for 17 times more than the base price.

His Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy performance played a major role in the high bid placed on him. He has taken 3 wickets in this Indian domestic T20 tournament and also scored 28 runs while batting in an innings. He was born on 10 October 2022 in Madhya Pradesh. Mangesh bats with his right hand and is a left arm wrist spinner.

He got a lot of recognition in Indian cricket in MP T20 League 2025, in which he took 14 wickets. He was the bowler who took the most wickets in the entire tournament. Apart from this, his inning of 75 runs against Punjab in the Buchi Babu Tournament would also have attracted the attention of IPL teams.

Mangesh Yadav is adept at swinging the ball on both sides and also throws accurate yorkers. Mangesh can be called a full package because he can bowl effectively in powerplay and death overs and the biggest feature is that apart from bowling powerfully, he can also bat when needed.

Also read:

Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka sold for the first time in IPL, Jason Holder sold for Rs 7 crore; Matthew Short also found a buyer