IPL 2026 is seeing big changes before the season starts. Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Royals have been sold for very high values, showing how much team worth has grown. At the same time, Ben Duckett pulling out has created a possible ban issue. RCB is also planning tributes for fans lost in 2025, while many teams are dealing with injuries and player unavailability early in the season.
Here is a complete look at everything happening in the world’s richest T20 league.
Franchise Sales: RCB Sold for $1.78 Billion, RR for $1.63 Billion
Two IPL franchise deals have changed how people look at team value in cricket.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru has been sold for $1.78 billion (around ₹16,706 crore). The buyers are a group led by Aditya Birla Group, along with Times of India Group, Bolt Ventures (owned by David Blitzer), and Blackstone.
They now own 100% of the franchise, including both men’s and women’s teams. Aryaman Vikram Birla will be chairman, and Satyan Gajwani will be vice-chairman. This is also the first time Blackstone has invested in a sports team.
At the same time, Rajasthan Royals is being sold for $1.63 billion (around ₹15,342 crore) to a group led by Kal Somani. The group includes Rob Walton and Sheila Ford Hamp. The current main owner Manoj Badale and partners like RedBird Capital and Lachlan Murdoch are selling their stakes. The full change will happen after IPL 2026.
A big point here is growth. Rajasthan Royals were bought for just $67 million in 2008, and now they are worth over 24 times that amount.
Player Bans: Ben Duckett Faces Two-Year IPL Suspension
Ben Duckett has pulled out of IPL 2026 just a few days before the tournament, and it could lead to a serious penalty.
He was signed by Delhi Capitals for ₹2 crore, but announced his withdrawal on March 24. His reason was to focus on England cricket and manage his fitness and mental workload before the international season.
Because he pulled out after the auction and not due to injury, IPL rules say he can face a two-year ban. If this is applied, he will miss IPL 2026 and won’t be allowed in the 2027 and 2028 auctions. That means he can only return in 2029.
A similar case already happened with Harry Brook, who is serving a ban after pulling out of a Delhi Capitals deal before the 2025 season.
He apologized, saying it was a tough decision but he wants to give his full focus to playing for England and be in the best shape for upcoming matches.
RCB to Remember the 11 Fans Lost in the 2025 Stampede
Ahead of IPL 2026, Royal Challengers Bengaluru has planned special tributes to remember 11 fans who died in a stampede in 2025. The incident happened outside M. Chinnaswamy Stadium during celebrations of RCB’s first IPL title. Around 3 lakh fans had gathered, and the crowd went out of control. 11 people lost their lives and more than 50 were injured.
To honor them, RCB has announced three main gestures. Players will wear jersey number 11 during practice sessions on match days. They will also wear black armbands in all matches as a mark of respect. Inside the stadium, 11 seats will be kept permanently empty to remember those fans.
RCB will play some home matches at Chinnaswamy, while a couple of games are shifted to another venue to manage crowds better. The first home match is on March 28 against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Injury Crisis: Multiple Stars to Miss Early Matches or Entire Season
IPL 2026 is already facing a big injury problem.
For Kolkata Knight Riders, the situation is the toughest. Harshit Rana has a knee injury and may miss the whole tournament. Akash Deep is out for 8–12 weeks with a back issue, so he is ruled out. Matheesha Pathirana has a shoulder injury and may miss early matches. Mustafizur Rahman is no longer in the squad and has been replaced by Blessing Muzarabani.
For Sunrisers Hyderabad, captain Pat Cummins has a back injury and will miss the start. Ishan Kishan will lead in his absence. Jack Edwards is out of the full season and replaced by David Payne.
At Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Josh Hazlewood is still recovering from a hamstring injury and may miss early games. For Chennai Super Kings, Nathan Ellis is ruled out with a hamstring injury. At Delhi Capitals, Mitchell Starc will miss the start due to workload management and clearance issues.
For Punjab Kings, Lockie Ferguson will miss early matches as he is spending time with his newborn child, not due to injury. At Rajasthan Royals, Sam Curran is out of the whole season with a groin injury and replaced by Dasun Shanaka. For Lucknow Super Giants, Josh Inglis will miss the early part due to his wedding, while Wanindu Hasaranga is still uncertain for the start.
FAQs
Q. Which IPL teams were sold?
A. Royal Challengers Bengaluru was sold for $1.78 billion and Rajasthan Royals for $1.63 billion.
Q. Why can Ben Duckett face a ban?
A. Ben Duckett pulled out of IPL after the auction without injury, so he may get a two-year ban.
Q. Why are many players missing matches in IPL 2026?
A. Many players are injured or unavailable, so they will miss early games or the whole season.
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