Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) director of cricket Mo Bobat has confirmed that left-arm pacer Yash Dayal will not be joining the squad for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, even though he remains under contract with the franchise. There was a major uproar over RCB’s decision to retain the pacer when the list of retentions and releases was issued, before the auction. However, Dayal’s absence from RCB’s training sessions ahead of the start of the new campaign triggered rumours about the franchise leaving him out. I has now been confirmed that Dayal will not feature for the Bengaluru side this year due to a “personal situation.”
Speaking to reporters, Bobat said: “Yash is going through a personal situation. He remains under contract, but he won’t be with us this season.”
Dayal, who played a pivotal role in RCB’s 2025 championship run with 13 wickets across the season, has been sidelined since last year’s final. His absence is linked to ongoing legal proceedings, which have prevented him from returning to competitive cricket.
For RCB, the setback is significant. Dayal’s left-arm pace added variety to their attack, complementing the experience of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and the spin options led by Krunal Pandya. Without him, the franchise will rely on its depth and overseas recruits to maintain balance in the bowling department. Since he is still under contract, the franchise can’t pick a replacement player for him.
The decision to keep Dayal under contract suggests RCB is not severing ties, but his future availability will depend on the resolution of his personal and legal matters. As the IPL 2026 season kicks off on 28 March, RCB’s focus will be on reshaping their bowling strategy while navigating the absence of a proven performer.
In Dayal’s absence, the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Nuwan Thushara, Jacob Duffy, Rasikh Salam, Abhinandan Singh, Mangesh Yadav, and Romario Shepherd will need to shoulder bigger responsibilities.
Yash Dayal’s Legal Battle
Yash Dayal has been booked in two distinct criminal cases involving serious allegations of sexual exploitation. The first FIR was registered in July 2025 at the Indirapuram Police Station in Ghaziabad, where a woman accused him of physical and mental exploitation under the false pretext of marriage during a five-year relationship.
Shortly after, a second case was filed in Jaipur under the POCSO Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, involving allegations from a teenager who claimed Dayal sexually assaulted her multiple times since 2023, including an incident during the 2025 IPL season at a hotel where he had allegedly promised to assist her career.
While the Allahabad High Court granted a stay on his arrest in the Ghaziabad matter, a POCSO court in Jaipur rejected his anticipatory bail plea in December 2025, noting the gravity of the evidence and the ongoing nature of the investigation.