RCB’s auction strategy surprised many on Day 1 of the IPL 2025 mega auction in Jeddah. Although there were speculations about KL Rahul returning to the franchise, they decided not to bid for him, allowing Delhi Capitals to buy him for INR 14 crore.

They also avoided chasing high-profile players like Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer and Mitchell Starc, despite having the second-largest budget in the auction.

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Instead, RCB made only one notable purchase in Liam Livingstone. This cautious approach left former cricketer Robin Uthappa questioning his strategy to build a strong team.

Speaking on Jio Cinema, Robin Uthappa criticized RCB’s auction strategy and asked why they avoided bidding for top players despite having the second-largest budget. As a native of Bengaluru and a former RCB player, his approach surprised him.

“Three are my favorite teams: KKR, CSK and RCB. I have played on all three teams. I’m telling you as a local boy from Bengaluru, I’m confused. I really don’t understand how you have the second biggest purse and how you don’t go for big players in main sets,” Uthappa said.

RCB fans left disappointed by auction moves, says Uthappa

The former RCB player highlighted that the fans have been supporting the team year after year, but the reactions on social media show that they feel disappointed, which makes him wonder about the direction of the team.

“You didn’t make more than one choice. When you try to rebuild your team, when you look for a new direction, you have the fans supporting you year after year, they bring their emotions, they fill the stadium year after year. When you scroll through social media, it seems like they are disappointed. I, as an RCB fan and former player, feel that they have missed a trick. One wonders where they are headed,” Uthappa added.

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Uthappa also questioned the fact that RCB has not targeted big players like Mitchell Starc, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant or Shreyas Iyer, believing that they could have used their budget to secure one of them.

“They haven’t gone after Mitchell Starc because they are looking for a bowler in those conditions. They should have gone after KL Rahul, they haven’t even gone after Rishabh Pant or Shreyas Iyer. You have that bag. You could have bought 23 crores for one of those players. “They didn’t go that far,” he further stated.

RCB’s strategic picks on day 1 of IPL 2025 auction

On Day 1 of the IPL 2025 auction, RCB made some strategic moves and got three foreign players and three Indian players. His biggest purchase was Josh Hazlewood for INR 12.50 crore, followed by England’s Phil Salt for INR 11.50 crore and Liam Livingstone for INR 8.75 crore.

The team also acquired Indian batsman and wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma for INR 11 crore, along with uncapped bowlers Rashikh Salam and Suyash Sharma.

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