Former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif expressed surprise after Royal Challengers Bengaluru released Liam Livingstone ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. Livingstone had scored a crucial cameo of 15-ball 25 in the IPL 2025 final against Punjab Kings and had played a key role in powering the team to 190.
The England all-rounder was bagged for a whopping amount of INR 13 crores in IPL 2026 mini auction by Sunrisers Hyderabad.
“I am a little surprised that they released Livingstone. He scored in the final, and he was also the seventh bowling option, a third spinner. There might be some debate there. But they had so many options, which they never had before,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.
Kaif reckons either Romario Shepherd or Tim David will play in the starting XI for RCB in the upcoming season.
“Phil Salt, Hazlewood, Shepherd/Tim David, Bethell. Hazelwood, whenever he is back, and I think only one of Shepherd or David will play. I am keeping either for the finishing. As Livingstone is not there I am keeping Bethell, who can bat in the top three. They have so many options that they can even play just three foreign and eight Indian players,” he stated.
The former Uttar Pradesh batter said New Zealand seamer Jacob Duffy is a like-for-like replacement for Josh Hazlewood, who will miss the first few games of IPL 2026 due to injury.
“Duffy will be the fourth overseas. For Bethel, they have Padikkal and Venkatesh, who are both left-handers, they have options. For Hazlewood, Duffy is the like-to-like replacement. They will back Duffy first. They have the options to make Bethell wait. Even Shepherd and David can play together and it will be a solid combination,” he said.
The IPL 2026 season will begin with reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad at M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Ahmedabad, on March 28.
