'Virat Kohli and Yash Dayal in same poster, what a shame': RCB face backlash for controversial retention ahead of IPL 2026

Royal Challengers Bengaluru faces backlash for retaining fast-bowler Yash Dayal for IPL 2026. Dayal faces serious criminal allegations in Ghaziabad and Jaipur. These include sexual and financial exploitation, and rape charges. He is banned from Uttar Pradesh's local league. RCB's decision to keep him on a Rs 5 crore contract has angered fans.

Yash Dayal of Royal Challengers Bengaluru celebrates with teammate Virat Kohli (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are facing criticism for their decision to retain fast-bowler Yash Dayal for IPL 2026. The franchise has kept him on their roster despite pending abuse allegations against him. RCB released six players before Saturday's deadline but chose to maintain Dayal's annual contract worth Rs 5 crore. This decision comes amid two ongoing criminal cases against the player.

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Dayal faces separate criminal cases in Ghaziabad and Jaipur, with FIRs filed in both cities. As a result, he has been banned from participating in his state's local competition, the Uttar Pradesh T20 League. The Ghaziabad case involves allegations from Dayal's former long-term partner. She accused him of sexual and financial exploitation under marriage promises, along with physical violence and mental harassment when she questioned his motives. The case was registered in July 2025 under Section 69 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). While police continue their investigation, the Allahabad High Court has granted Dayal interim protection from arrest. The Jaipur case presents more serious accusations. A woman alleged that Dayal repeatedly raped her over two years, starting when she was 17. She claimed he manipulated her with promises of helping her cricket career and assaulted her in a hotel during IPL events. Given the complainant's age at the time of the alleged incidents, the FIR includes sections from both the POCSO Act and the BNS. While teams are not legally required to release players facing criminal charges, sporting organisations typically avoid retaining athletes under investigation for serious crimes like rape and domestic assault. And thus, social media has erupted after noticing that RCB have continued to keep Dayal under their wing. RCB's complete squad for IPL 2026 includes Rajat Patidar as captain, along with Virat Kohli, Jitesh Sharma, Devdutt Padikkal, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rasikh Salam, Suyash Sharma, Yash Dayal, Abhinandan Singh, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Phil Salt, Jacob Bethell, Romario Shepherd, Josh Hazlewood, and Nuwan Thushara. The team's decision has sparked significant backlash on social media, with fans expressing their disappointment over the retention of Dayal despite the serious nature of allegations against him.

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