Screengrab of the video© X (Formerly Twitter)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) enter the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season with concerns over their bowling attack. Star Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood is set to miss the first few games, while there is also uncertainty over left-arm Indian seamer Yash Dayal. As a result, RCB’s pace burden could be heavily dependent on veteran Indian swing maestro Bhuvneshwar Kumar. But the 36-year-old appears to be up to the task. In a recent viral video, Bhuvneshwar could be seen outfoxing the great Virat Kohli with a terrific yorker.
In the video, Bhuvneshwar nails a pinpoint yorker aimed at Kohli’s leg-stump, forcing the star batter to lose balance. WATCH HERE
Both Kohli and Bhuvneshwar played a crucial role in helping guide RCB to their first-ever IPL title in 2025. Kohli finished as the top run-scorer for the team with 657 runs in 15 innings. On the other hand, Bhuvneshwar overcame an underwhelming start to pick up 17 wickets in 14 matches.
Bought for Rs 10.75 crore in the IPL 2025 mega auction, Bhuvneshwar may also have to play the role of a mentor to some of RCB’s big-money young pacers this season. Rasikh Salam Dar (Rs 6 crore) will hope to mould into a starter for the franchise, while fans will also have their eyes peeled on left-arm pacer Mangesh Yadav (Rs 5.20 crore).
Meanwhile, in a significant development that could reshape the valuation dynamics of IPL franchises ahead of the 2026 season, NDTV has learnt from its sources that Rajasthan Royals have rejected a $1.7 billion (around Rs 16,000 crore) bid from the CPCP consortium.
Market estimates suggest that RCB could now command at least a 15% premium over Rajasthan Royals, especially given its stronger brand recall, larger fan base, and commercial appeal. NDTV had earlier reported that a consortium led by Dr Ranjan Pai of Manipal Hospitals, along with US private equity giant KKR and Singapore’s Temasek, is currently in pole position to acquire a stake in RCB.
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