Sports: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have retained Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, and Yash Dayal ahead of the upcoming IPL 2025 mega auction. Virat Kohli was always going to be the first one to be retained by the franchise after the form he displayed in the previous season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Virat scored 741 runs in 15 games for RCB in the last season at an average of 61.75. His stellar run included one century and five half-centuries at a strike rate of 154.69. The 35-year-old is RCB's top retention as they have given him a whopping 21 crore ahead of the mega auction.

Rajat is the other top retention announced by Royal Challengers Bengaluru as they have spent 11 crore on him. Patidar is fairly experienced as he has played 27 games in the lucrative tournament. He has also played three Tests and one ODI for Team India.

Left-arm speedster Yash Dayal is the only uncapped player retained by Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Dayal was bought by RCB for 5 crore at the IPL 2024 mini-auction and has been retained at the same amount. 

Surprisingly, RCB have decided to let go of several star players like Glenn Maxwell, Lockie Ferguson, their captain Faf du Plessis, Mohammed Siraj and Cameron Green among others.

RCB's list of retained players: Virat Kohli (21 crore) Yash Dayal (5 crore), Rajat Patidar (11 crore)

Purse remaining: INR 83 crore
RTM options at auction: 3
Players eligible for RTM: One uncapped player and two capped players, or three capped players

RCB's list of released players:

Dinesh Karthik, Mohammed Siraj, Anuj Rawat, Mahipal Lomror, Suyash Prabhudessai, Akash Deep, Mayank Dagar, Karn Sharma, Rajan Kumar, Manoj Bhandage, Himanshu Sharma, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Swapnil Singh, Saurav Chauhan, Faf du Plessis (c), Glenn Maxwell, Will Jacks, Cameron Green, Reece Topley, Alzarri Joseph, Lockie Ferguson, Tom Curran.