Rajasthan Royals (RR) finished ninth in IPL 2025 with just eight points from 14 matches. They narrowly avoided the last spot only because their net run rate was slightly better than Chennai Super Kings.
After that poor run, RR came into the IPL 2026 auction with clear plans. They had a purse of ₹16.05 crore and nine slots to fill, including one overseas spot, as they looked to refresh the squad without a full rebuild.
Even before the auction began, RR made bold moves. They traded in Sam Curran, Ravindra Jadeja and Donovan Ferreira, adding experience and depth across batting, bowling and all-round options.
The biggest moment of their auction was the signing of leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi for ₹7.20 crore. Bishnoi was their costliest buy and is expected to lead the spin attack through the season.
RR used their only overseas slot at the auction on New Zealand fast bowler Adam Milne. His pace and ability to bowl at the death adds extra firepower alongside Jofra Archer.
The Royals focused heavily on Indian talent for the remaining spots. They brought in Sushant Mishra, Yash Raj Punja, Vignesh Puthur, Ravi Singh, Aman Rao, Brijesh Sharma and Kuldeep Sen to build strong bench strength.
With these additions, RR completed a 25-member squad made up of 17 Indian and eight overseas players. They were left with ₹1.10 crore in the purse after finalising all positions.
Going into IPL 2026, Rajasthan Royals will build around their Indian core of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag, Ravindra Jadeja and Dhruv Jurel. The focus is on bounce-back performances after a forgettable year.
The bowling unit looks far stronger on paper. With Ravi Bishnoi, Jofra Archer, Adam Milne and a group of Indian seamers, RR have tried to fix one of their biggest weaknesses from last season.
Players Bought by RR in IPL 2026 Auction
| Sr. No. | Player Name | Country | Role | Base Price (₹) | Final Price (₹) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ravi Bishnoi | India | Bowler | ₹2.00 crore | ₹7.20 crore |
| 2 | Adam Milne | New Zealand | Fast Bowler | ₹2.00 crore | ₹2.40 crore |
| 3 | Ravi Singh | India | Wicket-keeper/Batter | ₹30.00 lakh | ₹95.00 lakh |
| 4 | Sushant Mishra | India | Fast Bowler | ₹30.00 lakh | ₹90.00 lakh |
| 5 | Kuldeep Sen | India | Fast Bowler | ₹75.00 lakh | ₹75.00 lakh |
| 6 | Brijesh Sharma | India | All-rounder | ₹30.00 lakh | ₹30.00 lakh |
| 7 | Aman Rao Perala | India | All-rounder | ₹30.00 lakh | ₹30.00 lakh |
| 8 | Vignesh Puthur | India | Spinner | ₹30.00 lakh | ₹30.00 lakh |
| 9 | Yash Raj Punja | India | Spinner | ₹30.00 lakh | ₹30.00 lakh |
Players Retained by RR ahead of IPL 2026 Auction
| Sr. No. | Player Name | Country | Role | Retention Price (₹) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yashasvi Jaiswal | India | Batter | ₹18.00 crore |
| 2 | Ravindra Jadeja (Traded In) | India | All-rounder | ₹14.00 crore |
| 3 | Dhruv Jurel | India | Wicketkeeper-batter | ₹14.00 crore |
| 4 | Riyan Parag | India | Batter | ₹14.00 crore |
| 5 | Jofra Archer | England | Bowler | ₹12.50 crore |
| 6 | Shimron Hetmyer | West Indies | Batter | ₹11.00 crore |
| 7 | Tushar Deshpande | India | Bowler | ₹6.50 crore |
| 8 | Sandeep Sharma | India | Bowler | ₹4.00 crore |
| 9 | Nandre Burger | South Africa | Bowler | ₹3.50 crore |
| 10 | Sam Curran (Traded In) | England | All-rounder | ₹2.40 crore |
| 11 | Kwena Maphaka | South Africa | Bowler | ₹1.50 crore |
| 12 | Vaibhav Suryavanshi | India | Batter | ₹1.10 crore |
| 13 | Donovan Ferreira (Traded In) | South Africa | All-rounder | ₹1.00 crore |
| 14 | Shubham Dubey | India | Batter | ₹80.00 lakh |
| 15 | Yudhvir Singh Charak | India | Bowler | ₹35.00 lakh |
| 16 | Lhuan-dre Pretorius | South Africa | Batter | ₹30.00 lakh |