In a massive blow for defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), left-arm fast bowler Yash Dayal will not take part in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season due to personal reasons.
After weeks of speculation fueled by his absence from pre-season camps, team bus poster and promotional content, the Bengaluru-based franchise finally addressed the situation during a press conference on Tuesday.
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Official Update From RCB On Yash Dayal
During a press conference on Tuesday, RCB’s Director of Cricket Mo Bobat addressed the growing speculation surrounding Yash Dayal’s absence ahead of the start of the season. He said that the decision was made in the best interest of both the player and the franchise. While he did not delve into specifics, Bobat cited a “personal situation” as the primary reason for Dayal’s withdrawal.
He also said that despite Dayal not taking part in the tournament, he will still be a part of the contract, and the team management will continue to support the player in tough times.
“So, just to confirm that Yash will not be joining up with the squad. As you know, he is going through a personal situation currently, and just to clarify, we’ve been very supportive of Yash to date and that’s reflected in the fact that we retained him when we had the opportunity to either retain or release players.
We wanted to retain him, and he remains under contract and will continue in the short term to remain under contract,” Bobat told the media on Tuesday.
“We are communicating with him regularly. I spoke to him earlier today as well, but it has been decided that it is not in his best interest or the franchise’s best interest for him to join up with us at this point.”
He retains our support, and he remains under contract, and we’ll continue to speak to him as he goes through his personal situation,” he added.
Background Of The Controversy
Yash Dayal, who played a key role in RCB’s maiden IPL title win in 2025 has been at the centre of serious legal issues. He faces multiple charges, including physical abuse allegations in two separate cases – one reportedly involving a minor under the POCSO Act in Jaipur, where he was recently denied bail.
Another case involves accusations of sexual exploitation from a woman in Ghaziabad.
Impact On RCB’s Title Defense
Notably, Dayal was one of only three players retained by RCB ahead of the 2025 mega auction and he was expected to be a crucial part of the bowling attack alongside the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
With Dayal out and Josh Hazlewood also expected to miss the early stages of the tournament due to injury, RCB will look toward their domestic depth.
Mangesh Yadav: A young prospect who has impressed in scouting.
Rasikh Salam: An experienced domestic campaigner.
Abhinandan Singh: Another fast bowling option within the squad.
Defending champions RCB will start their campaign in the IPL 2026 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on March 28 at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
