Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have released batting all-rounder Liam Livingstone ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. Alongside Livingstone, RCB also let go of Mayank Agarwal, Lungi Ngidi, and Swastik Chikara, while retaining the core of their squad.
The team will enter the auction with a budget of ₹16.40 crore and eight remaining slots, including two for overseas players. Livingstone played a useful cameo of 25 off 15 balls in the IPL 2025 final but had an underwhelming overall season.
In eight innings, the right-handed all-rounder scored 112 runs at 16.00 with a strike rate of 133.33 and one fifty, while taking two wickets at an 8.44 economy, across 49 IPL matches. Bought by RCB for ₹8.75 crore in the IPL 2025 mega auction, Livingstone could attract interest from several teams in the IPL 2026 mini-auction.
Here are 3 franchises likely to target him:
#3 Chennai Super Kings
Five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have traded all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran to Rajasthan Royals (RR) in exchange for wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson. This leaves CSK with a need to bolster their all-round options as they prepare for IPL 2026.
The franchise has retained players like Shivam Dube and Jamie Overton, who can provide power-hitting and contribute with medium-pace bowling. However, a replacement for Jadeja, who served as both a finisher and a spin option, is still required. While Liam Livingstone may not match Jadeja’s caliber, finding an all-rounder of Jadeja’s level in the auction would be challenging.
Livingstone, capable of quick-fire batting and offering part-time spin, emerges as a viable option. With ₹43.40 crore in their auction purse and four overseas slots available, CSK have strong reasons to consider targeting him.
#2 Punjab Kings
IPL 2025 runners-up Punjab Kings (PBKS) have released power-hitters Glenn Maxwell and Josh Inglis ahead of the mini-auction. Maxwell struggled with the bat, scoring just 48 runs in six innings, though he took four wickets at a reasonable average. Inglis managed 278 runs in 11 innings at an average of 30.88 with a strike rate of 162.57.
PBKS boast a solid top three in Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, and Shreyas Iyer, but they need additional power-hitters in the middle and lower order to support players like Shashank Singh, who scored a blistering 61* off 30 in the IPL 2025 final, albeit in a one-man effort.
Punjab could consider bringing back Liam Livingstone, who played for them from 2022 to 2024, in the IPL 2026 auction to strengthen their big-hitting options. He could serve as a potential replacement for Maxwell, offering both batting firepower and occasional spin. With ₹11.5 cr and two overseas slots, Livingstone is a top PBKS foreign pick.
#1 Kolkata Knight Riders
After a disappointing title defence earlier this year, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) released several key players, including Andre Russell, Anrich Nortje, Moeen Ali, Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, and Venkatesh Iyer. By letting go of all-rounders Russell, Moeen, and Venkatesh, KKR freed up funds ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, while retaining match-winner Sunil Narine.
However, their squad now appears thin in the all-rounder department. Signing Eoin Livingstone could fill this gap, as he can be as destructive with the bat as Russell and is capable of breaking crucial partnerships with the ball.
With a massive ₹64.30 crore purse and six overseas slots remaining, KKR should prioritise targeting Livingstone in the IPL 2026 mini-auction.
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