IPL 2026: Irfan Pathan discloses the names of two players RCB should release

Former all-rounder Irfan Pathan advises RCB to release high-cost players Liam Livingstone (₹8.75 Cr) and Rasikh Salam Dar (₹6 Cr). Pathan argues the move frees up ₹15 crore, allowing the team to strengthen its bowling attack in the IPL 2026 auction.

By Rui 14 Nov 2025 in Cricket

New Update

Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan has disclosed the names of two players the Royal Challengers Bengaluru should release ahead of the IPL 2026 mini-auction, which will take place next month.

Speaking exclusively on his YouTube channel, Pathan made it clear that though the defending champions look like a settled franchise, they might look at releasing the English all-rounder Liam Livingstone and the young pacer Rasikh Salam Dar.

Speaking about Livingstone’s stats in IPL 2025, the batting all-rounder could score only 112 runs from eight innings at an average of 16 with one fifty. With the ball, he could pocket only two wickets from five innings.

"RCB is a very settled unit. If you see the XI that played the final, 8 of them had won the Player of the Match awards. They were quite consistent. Those players will again be in focus. Liam Livingstone will be a talking point. RCB spent ₹8.75 crore on him, but he made only 112 runs and his strike rate was 133, as more is expected of him. He bowled nine overs with the ball. He did score 25 off 15 balls in the final,” Irfan Pathan said on his YouTube channel.

“But if you see RCB’s overseas players, they are quite settled. Breaking into the XI will be hard because there are Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Josh Hazlewood, and Phil Salt. All four are potent. It won’t be a bad option to keep Livingstone in the auction and see what happens,” he added.

Moreover, Pathan also revealed that the young pacer Rasikh Salam Dar, who was roped in by 6 crore, could be another player to be released by the franchise. He could scalp only one wicket from two games in the previous season.

"Eyes will also be on Rasikh Salam. He was bought for ₹6 crore but didn’t perform that well. He is a good bowler and RCB needs a bowler, who can bowl those back-of-the hand slower balls. But RCB will be thinking if they can put him in the auction and buy him again at a lesser price. If these two are released, RCB have an extra purse amount of ₹15 crore," the former all-rounder concluded.

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