Why Did Royal Challengers Bengaluru Let Go of Yuzvendra Chahal?

While playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru from 2014 to 2021, he became their top spinner and a match-winner. However, after the 2021 season, RCB chose not to retain him for the 2022 IPL. Chahal later revealed that the franchise never spoke to him during the retention talks. It was also a shocking moment for him, especially after everything he did for the team. Eventually, Rajasthan Royals picked him up, and he has continued to shine. Want to know what happened behind the scenes? Let’s break down the story in simple terms.

Mike Hesson Reveals the Reason for Not Retaining Chahal

For the IPL 2022 season, Mike Hesson, as the coach of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), faced the tough task of retaining the core players to build a strong squad. Yuzvendra Chahal’s knack for picking wickets, including six four-wicket hauls and one five-wicket haul, made him a fan favourite and a vital asset. However, RCB’s decision not to retain him for the 2022 auction stunned fans, sparking heated debates. Hesson later revealed the reason: RCB chose to retain only three players, Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, and Mohammed Siraj, to gain an extra four crore rupees for the auction.

Yuzi (Chahal) is one I will be frustrated with until I have finished my career and probably beyond. He is an outstanding bowler. I guess when it comes to every cycle, you have to decide who you are going to retain. It was one of those things where if you only retain three players, you give yourself an extra 4 crore in the auction. That potentially gave us the chance to get both Harshal (Patel) and Yuzi.

The plan was to buy back Chahal and pacer Harshal Patel at a lower price. But the auction order threw a wrench in their strategy. Chahal’s name came up late at number 65, while Sri Lankan spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, another target, appeared earlier. RCB bid for Hasaranga to bolster their spin attack, hoping to still get Chahal. Unfortunately, after securing Hasaranga, they couldn’t bid for Chahal, who was snapped up by Rajasthan Royals. This miscalculation left fans frustrated, as Chahal’s departure ended a golden era for RCB’s bowling. He added:

Then the order of the auction came up and Yuzvendra Chahal was at no. 65. Because we had retained that many players we were going to get bullied. After Yuzi there was no other spinner we were interested in. We were obviously interested in Hasaranga as another option if we did not get Yuzi. So we bid for him upfront and then once we got Hasaranga that meant we could not go for Yuzi.

Hesson admitted his regret, calling Chahal an outstanding bowler, a sentiment echoed by fans who felt RCB lost a game-changer. The controversy highlighted the risky nature of auction strategies, where financial decisions can backfire, leaving teams and fans disappointed. Moreover, with the IPL Auction being uncertain, the RCB had a major miss in the form of Chahal, who was one of the best bowlers for the team in the past few years of the Indian Premier League.

How Did Yuzvendra Chahal React After RCB Didn’t Buy Him Back?

When the IPL Auction 2022 saw Yuzvendra Chahal being sold to the Rajasthan Royals, it was a sad ending for the fans of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Chahal has been one of the most loyal and consistent performers for the team since joining them in 2014. In his eight seasons with the franchise, he played 113 matches and became RCB’s highest wicket-taker in IPL history. His leg-spin magic and clever bowling played a big role in RCB’s bowling line-up year after year. So, when the mega auction came up ahead of the 2022 season, most fans expected RCB to retain Chahal or at least try to buy him back. Chahal himself also wanted to continue with RCB and had publicly said he wanted to return. But things took a surprising and hurtful turn for him. He said:

Obviously, I want to go to RCB again. When I put my name up for the auction, they promised me that they will go all out for me. I said okay, but then I was not picked, I was very angry for two-three days. When I played my first match for RR against RCB, I did not speak to anyone from RCB, not even the coaches.

He revealed that RCB never even contacted him before the auction. He didn’t get a single phone call from the management or the coaches. Though he was told that RCB would go all out to get him back in the auction, they didn’t even place a bid for him. Chahal admitted that this made him feel very angry and disappointed. He felt strange because of the way the team treated him despite all the years he gave to the franchise. He believed that his journey to the Indian team started because of his performances for RCB and that the team played a major role in his growth. He added:

Definitely, I felt very bad. My main journey started in 2014. I also felt very weird because I played for the franchise for eight years. I would also say that I got the India cap because of my performances for RCB, because they gave me a chance to perform. From the very first match, Virat bhai showed trust in me. I heard things like, “Yuzi ne bahut paise maang liye honge” [Yuzi must have asked for a lot of money]. Lot of such stuff was coming out. That’s why I clarified in an interview that I had not asked for any specific amount. I know what I deserve. The worst thing, which I felt very bad about, was that I did not receive any phone call. No one even spoke to me. I think I played around 114 games for them. I couldn’t understand what happened suddenly.

So, the way things ended felt unfair to him. After joining Rajasthan Royals for ₹6.5 crore, Chahal said he was hurt for a few days and didn’t speak to anyone from RCB when they faced each other in the league. There were even rumours that he demanded a high salary, but he cleared the air by saying he didn’t ask for any specific amount and knew what he was worth. The most painful part for Chahal was the silence from RCB. For fans, the end of Chahal’s journey with RCB felt incomplete and disappointing, especially for a player who gave his best every season and had become a face of the franchise.

How Did Yuzvendra Chahal Perform for the RCB?

Yuzvendra Chahal’s IPL journey with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) from 2014 to 2021 was a golden chapter, making him a fan favourite and RCB’s all-time leading wicket-taker. Over eight seasons, he played 113 matches, bowling 2424 balls and taking 139 wickets at an impressive average of 22.03. His economy rate of 7.58 and strike rate of 17.43 showed his knack for controlling games and striking regularly.

Chahal’s best performance was 4/25, with two four-wicket hauls, though he never took a five-wicket haul. Starting in 2014, he picked up 12 wickets in 14 matches, but 2015 was his breakout year, grabbing 23 wickets in 15 games at an average of 18.04. In 2016, he shone brighter, taking 21 wickets in 13 matches, including a 4/25, helping RCB reach the final. The next year, 2017, saw him claim 14 wickets in 13 games, maintaining consistency. In 2018, he took 12 wickets in 14 matches, but 2019 was a strong rebound with 18 wickets at 21.44.

The 2020 season saw him at his peak, securing 21 wickets in 15 matches, while 2021 added 18 wickets at an average of 20.77, with a best of 3/11. Chahal’s clever leg-spin, backed by Virat Kohli’s trust, earned him an India cap during his RCB days. His ability to outsmart batters with variations made him a go-to bowler, especially in the middle overs. Despite RCB’s decision not to retain him for IPL 2022, which left fans upset, Chahal’s legacy with RCB remains unmatched.