Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra selected his preferred Royal Challengers Bengaluru starting XI ahead of the highly anticipated Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. Chopra omitted English youngster Jacob Bethell from his predicted lineup despite the talented batter showcasing impressive form.
The Royal Challengers retained Jacob Bethell before the mini auction. The English cricketer smashed an impressive century against India during the T20 World Cup semifinal earlier this month. However, Chopra preferred using Phil Salt, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, and Jacob Duffy as overseas options.
Aakash Chopra predicts Royal Challengers Bengaluru lineup
Speaking on his official YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra revealed his batting order for the defending champions. The cricketer-turned-commentator selected Devdutt Padikkal to bat ahead of Venkatesh Iyer in the top order alongside Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, and captain Rajat Patidar.
"What could be the XI? Phil Salt and Virat Kohli, that makes it your two openers. I will keep Devdutt Padikkal at the start. Venkatesh Iyer can wait. Rajat Patidar at No. 4, Tim David at No. 5, Jitesh Sharma at No. 6, Romario Shepherd at No. 7 and Krunal Pandya at No. 8," Chopra said.
Will They Qualify Once Again? - Aakash Chopra
During the same video, Aakash Chopra said that Virat Kohli and Bhuvneshwar Kumar would be top performers for the team. However, Chopra noted that the RCB bowling attack could face early challenges without Yash Dayal and Josh Hazlewood.
"Will they qualify once again? I feel they should qualify. They do have the team. Some problems and challenges have come in bowling, but if everything goes well, they should qualify for the playoffs again. Defending the crown, you will give a 30 percent chance of that happening," Chopra stated.
Aakash Chopra's probable RCB playing XI for IPL 2026: Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Tim David, Jitesh Sharma, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jacob Duffy, Mangesh Yadav.
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