Rajasthan Royals made headlines at the IPL 2026 auction by signing leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi for Rs 7.20 crore. The 2008 champions faced tough competition from SunRisers Hyderabad and Chennai Super Kings, ultimately winning the race as CSK pulled out after their bid reached Rs 7 crore.
RR also invested in three promising uncapped Indian players: Sushant Mishra (Rs 90 lakh), Yash Raj Punja (Rs 30 lakh), and Vignesh Puthur (Rs 30 lakh). Ahead of the auction, the franchise executed a major trade, sending long-time captain Sanju Samson to CSK in return for experienced all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran, aiming to combine seasoned leadership with young talent.
The Royals retained their key batting assets, including Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, and teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi, ensuring a strong mix of experience and emerging stars for the upcoming IPL season.
Players signed at the auction:
Ravi Bishnoi (Rs 7.20 crore), Sushant Mishra (Rs 90 lakh), Yash Raj Punja (Rs 30 lakh),Vignesh Puthur (Rs 30 lakh) and Ravi Singh (Rs 95 lakh)
Present squad and retained members: Ravindra Jadeja, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Kwena Maphaka, Shubham Dubey, Shimron Hetmyer, Lhuan-dre-Pretorius, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sandeep Sharma, Sam Curran, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Tushar Deshpande, Donovan Ferreira, Yudhvir Charak
Players released: Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kunal Rathore, Ashok Sharma, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash Madhwal