Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru won their first ever IPL title in 2025 and it was a moment of great joy for the fans and also the teams. Rajat Patidar led the side really well while the senior players like Virat Kohli continued churning out runs and they had an incredible campaign. The four overseas players who were part of the set up did a really good job and ensured that RCB got over the line. Over the years, RCB have had some of the greatest overseas players with the likes of AB De Villiers and Chris Gayle.
But going into 2026 IPL one of the most important overseas players for RCB will be Phil Salt. The English opener has scored 4 centuries in international cricket and was one of the key batters at the top of the order for RCB last year. Phil Salt has already won an IPL title with KKR in 2024 and was released for the next season when RCB picked him and he ensured that RCB wins the title.
Phil Salt has been very dynamic at the top of the order for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and has complimented very well with Virat Kohli. The opening partnership was one of the highlights for RCB last season and a large credit would go to Phil Salt. He was aggressive and on most occasions took the game on in the power play.
At the top of the order, Phil Salt smashed 403 runs in 13 matches for RCB at a strike rate of 175 and won them plenty of games with his contributions. He was one of the key overseas players for RCB last year along with Josh Hazlewood. Another aspect where Salt has made a huge impact for the team is with his fielding. He took a spectacular catch at the boundary in a game against Mumbai Indians which changed the game. Similarly in the Final of the IPL 2025, Phil Salt provided magic on the field as he took a stunning catch to dismiss Priyansh Arya which dented the hopes of PBKS in the Final.
