Bengaluru, March 24 – The defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), have been dealt a setback ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, as the franchise confirmed on Tuesday that fast bowler Yash Dayal will miss the entire tournament due to personal reasons.
Dayal's absence from training sessions and his not being featured on the team bus poster had already sparked rumors about his absence, with many wondering where the bowler was. Now, RCB's director of cricket, Mo Bobat, has clarified all doubts about his absence.
Bobat has also stated that despite Dayal not participating in the tournament, he will still be part of the contract, and the team management will continue to support the player during difficult times.
"So, just to confirm that Yash will not be joining the squad. As you know, he is currently going through a personal situation, and to clarify, we have been very supportive of Yash to date, and that is reflected in the fact that we retained him when we had the opportunity to either retain or release players.
"We wanted to retain him, and he remains under contract and will continue to remain under contract in the short term," Bobat told the media during a press conference on Tuesday. "We are communicating with him regularly. I also spoke to him earlier today, but it has been decided that it is not in his best interest or the franchise's best interest for him to join us at this point."
"He retains our support, and he remains under contract, and we will continue to speak to him as he goes through his personal situation," he added.
Dayal, who recently tied the knot with social media influencer Shweta Pundir in a private ceremony, has been at the center of major controversies recently. He was denied anticipatory bail a few months ago after he was involved in a case where he allegedly raped a minor.
The controversy began in July 2025 when a lawsuit was filed against him for allegedly exploiting a woman under the guise of marriage. Later, a new case under the POSCO Act surfaced in Jaipur.
Meanwhile, RCB will begin their campaign in the IPL 2026 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on March 28 at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.