Anil Kumble Predicts Venkatesh Iyer May Miss RCB’s Playing XI in IPL 2026

Anil Kumble suggested Venkatesh Iyer may not feature in RCB’s playing XI at the start of IPL 2026, citing team balance and the need to maintain the combination.

Former Indian cricketer Anil Kumble shared his view on Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s playing XI ahead of the next IPL season, suggesting Venkatesh Iyer may not be on the list. He felt RCB would prefer stability early, given a team packed with established all-rounders and match-winners.

RCB signed Iyer this year for INR 7 crore after a bidding war with the Kolkata Knight Riders. Kumble also noted RCB’s confidence at the auction, where they secured Iyer without overpaying.

“Venkatesh Iyer will not be in the playing eleven at the start. You do not want to create doubt in a winning team. That is probably why they did not go after a Ravi Bishnoi, so that Suyash Sharma does not feel threatened by a senior India spinner,” he said on JioStar.

“RCB thought they might get outbid, but they did not, so they are happy to have Venkatesh Iyer,” Kumble added.

RCB Focuses on Stability Over Major Changes

Anil Kumble also praised Royal Challengers Bengaluru for sticking with a settled core while adding smart cover options. He said the franchise focused on balance rather than wholesale changes.

Notably, RCB added Jacob Duffy as cover for Josh Hazlewood and brought in Jordan Cox to mirror the role of Phil Salt. Mangesh Yadav joined as a developing left-arm option behind Yash Dayal.

“They (RCB) have done well to keep the core the same, back their players, and just have a few backups in case something goes wrong. Jacob Duffy will be a backup for Josh Hazlewood, and Jordan Cox is a like-for-like replacement for Phil Salt. Mangesh Yadav comes in as a backup for Yash Dayal. He is a left-arm seamer with a lot of potential, though he has not played much cricket,” Kumble said.

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Meanwhile, in the last season, Venkatesh Iyer scored only 142 runs in seven innings at a strike rate close to 140, with one fifty, which led to his release.