So, the upcoming auction for IPL 2026 will be Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) opportunity to announce their intention loud and clear: any such unsettled fast-bowling attack of theirs must be completely sorted before the next season.
The Bowler Shopping List for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru now features a top-class pacer as their number one choice and Matheesha Pathirana is their most thrilling option among the others at the IPL 2026 auction to be held in Abu Dhabi on December 26.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru to search for new pace after Josh Hazlewood’s latest injury
The team is in a tough spot as their main bowlers are not only injured but also in a state of uncertainty due to the court issues, thus they are compelled to scout for new players.
The first hard hit for RCB was when their leading overseas bowler, Josh Hazlewood, got the axe ruling him out for the whole 2025-26 Ashes series against England.
The Australian speedster has been dealing with a hamstring strain he got while playing a Sheffield Shield match for New South Wales last November. That particular injury made him miss the first two Ashes Tests. While recuperating, he experienced pain in his Achilles tendon.
Hazlewood now has to devote all his time to becoming fit for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 scheduled next February, meaning that the IPL 2026 cannot have the full support of the Australian bowler by RCB. Besides the injury-prone Hazlewood, Yash Dayal is also a question mark for IPL’s next edition.
Dayal is off the cricket field since IPL 2025final. He is doing a lot of exercises to get his match fitness back and RCB, as a close watcher, is worried that one more injury or a delay may break their schedule. But this is not the only issue concerning the champions.
Yash Dayal’s future turns uncertain amid legal troubles
In fact, Dayal’s career is in a dilemma right now because two police cases against him have put a dark cloud over his future. He is not guilty yet and investigations are still in process but he has to wait for the cases to be resolved before he can continue playing given the sensitivity of the cases registered against the fast bowler.
First of all, a woman from Ghaziabad has accused Dayal of emotional and physical exploitation through a five-year fake marriage under the false promise of marriage. The Allahabad High Court has given him anticipatory bail in this matter.
The second case is even more serious than the Ghaziabad one and it is filed in Jaipur. A different woman has accused the fast bowler of continuous assault on her for two years when she was 17. She claimed that Dayal would lure her with promises of helping her cricket career.
This case has been filed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO Act) since a minor is involved, and the Rajasthan High Court has denied the Indian cricketer’s plea for protection from arrest. Nevertheless, the Royal Challengers Bangalore included Dayal in their squad prior to the auction.
With Hazlewood’s injury issues and Dayal’s troubled future, the RCB has an urgent requirement for strong fast-bowling options. They are looking for both an overseas fast-bowling star and a reliable Indian seamer. And this makes young Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana the perfect fit.
RCB probably will make a big fuss to get Matheesha Pathirana
Recently, due to injuries and lack of form, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have released Pathirana ahead of the IPL 2026 mini-auction. He played for CSK from 2022 to 2025 and was a vital part of their 2023 crown win. His rare sling-arm action, sharp yorkers, and cool temperament made Pathirana one of the top death-overs specialists in the league.
No doubt, he has already posted a remarkable IPL record of 47 wickets with an average of 21.62 and an economy rate of 8.68 in only 32 matches. Matheesha Pathirana has become a popular name among the bowlers for the mini-auction, and RCB might give a big push to get him.
Truly, the Sri Lankan player covers all the points the team needs at the moment: a reliable death bowler, a pressure wicket-taker, a young and daring player, and a pacer who can augment their bowling department instantly. As the auction is close, RCB is expected to go all-in for Pathirana to have a pace attack for IPL 2026 built up.
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