RCB Confirms Yash Dayal's Absence for IPL 2026 Season
RCB's Decision on Yash Dayal
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) has officially announced that Yash Dayal will not participate in the upcoming 2026 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The 19th edition of this prestigious cricket league is set to commence on March 28, with RCB facing off against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Dayal, who has been an integral part of the RCB lineup for the past two seasons, was acquired during the 2024 mini auction for ₹5 crore. Following a promising debut season, he was retained for the same amount ahead of the 2025 mega auction. His contributions were significant in leading the team to its first title last season, where he took 13 wickets in 15 matches.
However, the left-arm pacer has not participated in any competitive matches since the IPL final in 2025 against Punjab Kings. He missed the entire domestic season with Uttar Pradesh and did not compete in the Uttar Pradesh Premier League last year. Dayal has faced serious allegations, including accusations of raping a minor, leading to multiple FIRs against him, including a case under the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Despite the ongoing legal issues, RCB decided to retain Dayal, a move that drew criticism. Mo Bobat, the franchise's director of cricket, confirmed in a press conference that Dayal will not be joining the squad this season but remains under contract. He stated, "Yash is going through a personal situation, and we have been supportive of him. We chose to retain him when we could have released players. However, it has been decided that it is not in his best interest or the franchise's for him to join RCB at this time. We will continue to support him and communicate regularly as he navigates this situation."
RCB's Replacement Policy for Yash Dayal
RCB is unable to sign a replacement for Dayal because replacements are only permitted when a player withdraws due to injury or personal reasons. Since neither applies in this case and RCB opted to retain him before the mini auction, he will remain part of the squad without a replacement. By retaining Dayal, RCB allocated part of their salary cap to him, which means those funds cannot be used to acquire another player.