Former cricket player Aakash Chopra made a humorous remark regarding Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) decision to release promising batter Swastik Chikara ahead of the IPL 2026 mini-auction. Chikara, who was one of Virat Kohli’s strongest supporters in the RCB camp the previous season, became a topic of conversation among fans due to his participation in the team’s behind-the-scenes activities. Chopra said that Swastik Chikara will no longer be featured in Kohli’s pictures once the RCB revealed their list of players who were retained and released.
After a 17-year wait, RCB eventually grabbed their first IPL title in 2025, and they are the reigning champions going into IPL 2026. The team has chosen to continue with their match-winners because they have a balanced squad and the majority of their core has performed well throughout the past season. Among the 17 players they kept were Tim David, Josh Hazlewood, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Yash Dayal, and Kohli. According to head coach Andy Flower, the team was content to keep a strong core and did not see the need for any changes.
Swastik Chikara, however, was the most talked-about name among the seven players released, particularly due to his off-field activity in the 2025 campaign. Despite being selected by RCB for INR 30 lakh in the 2025 IPL, the youthful player was never given the chance to play in the starting lineup. But because of his proximity to Kohli, he garnered media attention during the campaign.
He was frequently seen enthusiastically following the Indian superstar during team photographs, post-match festivities, and practice sessions. His adoration for the great of today turned into an internal meme. Aakash Chopra discussed the child’s release while discussing RCB’s retention intentions on his YouTube channel.
“Swastik Chikara is no longer in Kohli’s pictures because RCB released him.
They don’t require a lot of players. The group has triumphed. “Who would alter a winning team?” he asked.
A number of well-known players, including Mayank Agarwal, Liam Livingstone, Lungi Ngidi, Manoj Bhandage, Blessing Muzarabani, and Mohit Rathee, all left the squad with him. With eight spots up for grabs, including two for players from abroad, and a reward of INR 16.40 crore, the reigning champions now go into the auction.
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