2 min readUpdated: Mar 24, 2026 02:14 PM IST
After months of uncertainty over his availability, Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Tuesday confirmed that left-arm pacer Yash Dayal will not feature for the defending champions in the IPL 2026 season.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, RCB Director of Cricket Mo Bobat confirmed that Dayal will not link up with the squad as he is battling personal issues. However, the 29-year-old will be retained under his playing contract with the franchise, Bobat confirmed. Dayal was snapped up for Rs 5 crore by RCB ahead of the IPL 2024 season.
“Yash Dayal will not be a part of RCB this season. He’s going through a personal situation. He remains under contract. It was decided in his best interest,” Babat said, leaving the side short of a key paceman.
The franchise had faced severe backlash when Dayal was retained for the IPL 2026 season last December, amid the ongoing legal proceedings for multiple rape charges against him. In July 2025, Dayal was booked on charges of allegedly raping a minor by the Jaipur police. The development came only weeks after Dayal was booked on charges of rape following a complaint by a Ghaziabad woman.
According to the Jaipur station house officer (SHO) of the jurisdictional police station, the complainant was a 19-year-old aspiring cricketer who came into contact with Dayal two years ago. The woman told the police that Dayal allegedly promised to help her in her cricketing career. Dayal has denied all allegations.
Dayal has not appeared in any competitive outing since appearing in RCB’s victorious IPL 2025 final match over Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad last year. The Uttar Pradesh seamer had picked up 13 wickets during the season, adding to the 15 he collected in his first season with the Bengaluru franchise in 2024.
Set to face SunRisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday, RCB will also likely enter the contest without their star pacer, Josh Hazlewood, who has yet to receive an NOC from Cricket Australia.
