Royal Challengers Bengaluru walked into the IPL 2026 auction with most of their core already in place. Unlike several other franchises chasing fixes, RCB’s focus was on fine-tuning, and in that context, Jacob Duffy stands out as arguably the smartest buy of the auction.
At ₹2 crore, Duffy doesn’t just add depth; he completes the RCB squad and makes it the best among all IPL 2026 squads. With Josh Hazlewood already leading the pace attack, RCB needed a like-for-like option who could either cover for him or operate alongside him in certain combinations. Duffy fits that brief almost perfectly.
Why Jacob Duffy Is A Near-Perfect Hazlewood Backup
Jacob Duffy brings several attributes that mirror what RCB value in Hazlewood.
He is:
- Tall and hits the deck hard
- Capable of bowling a heavy new-ball length
- Comfortable attacking the stumps at pace
What often goes unnoticed is Duffy’s ability to present the seam late, especially at the death. That subtle tail-back movement, combined with natural bounce, has made him far more effective in recent white-ball outings.
In 2025, Duffy looks sharper, quicker, and more assertive than at any earlier point in his career. The lift off the surface is more pronounced, his off-cutter has real bite, and his control has improved noticeably.
Jacob Duffy Stats That Back The Eye Test
Jacob Duffy’s T20I numbers in 2025 underline exactly why this buy stands out. In 20 innings this year, he has picked up 35 wickets at an outstanding average of 15.08 and a strike rate of just 12.11, while conceding only 7.47 runs per over.
He has already registered three four-wicket hauls, highlighting not just consistency but genuine match-winning potential. That economy rate is particularly significant in the T20 format, where most high wicket-takers tend to leak runs. Duffy, however, offers wickets without chaos, a rare and invaluable trait for a side like RCB that is already stacked with aggressive batters.
A Genuine Powerplay Weapon For RCB
Duffy’s biggest value lies in the powerplay. He has taken 20 wickets in T20Is this year during the first six overs alone, averaging just 13.90 while conceding runs at an economy rate of 6.46. A remarkable 57.14% of his wickets have come inside the powerplay, underlining his ability to strike early and disrupt opposition plans.
This gives RCB the flexibility to structure their bowling innings far more intelligently. Duffy can comfortably bowl three overs with the new ball and one in the middle phase, allowing someone like Bhuvneshwar Kumar to be preserved for the death overs, where his experience and swing variations still matter most.
How Jacob Duffy Elevates The RCB Squad
With Duffy added, the RCB squad looks complete across phases:
- New ball: Hazlewood / Duffy / Bhuvneshwar
- Middle overs: Krunal, Suyash, Shepherd/Duffy as enforcer
- Death: Bhuvneshwar, Hazlewood and Duffy
RCB no longer feel over-reliant on one overseas quick. They now have redundancy without compromise, which is rare and valuable in a long IPL season.
Jacob Duffy at ₹2 crore is not just a smart buy, but a squad-defining one.
RCB didn’t chase headlines at the IPL 2026 auction. Instead, they identified exactly what their squad lacked and filled it with precision. Duffy brings control, wickets, and tactical flexibility, all while fitting seamlessly into an already strong bowling unit.
It’s early to ay this, but this could turn out to be the buy that separates RCB from the rest as they aim to defend the IPL title.
