Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have bolstered their bowling attack for remainder of IPL 2026 by signing veteran England fast bowler Richard Gleeson. The 38-year-old joins the squad as a replacement for Sri Lankan pacer Nuwan Thushara, who was forced to miss the tournament after Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) denied him a No-Objection Certificate (NOC). RCB secured Gleeson’s services for INR 1.6 crore, the same price point at which they had originally retained Thushara.
Richard Gleeson joins RCB as Nuwan Thushara's replacement
Gleeson brings a wealth of T20 experience to the Bengaluru camp, having represented England in nine T20Is and previously featured for both Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians. While his IPL appearances have been limited, featuring in two matches for CSK in 2024 and one for MI in 2025—he remains a seasoned campaigner in the shortest format.
Complication around Thushara paves the way for Gleeson
The vacancy in the RCB roster arose due to a fitness dispute between Thushara and his home board. Despite being a part of RCB’s title-winning campaign last year, Thushara failed to meet the specific fitness standards required by SLC, leading to the withholding of his NOC. The situation briefly escalated into a legal battle when the bowler filed a lawsuit against the board, during which he even expressed an intention to retire from international cricket.
However, the conflict has since cooled, with Thushara withdrawing the lawsuit and issuing a formal written apology to SLC. While he has walked back the legal challenge, his future with the national team remains uncertain, as it is currently unclear if he will proceed with his retirement plans.
On the other hand, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have officially drafted Indian fast bowler Kuldip Yadav into their squad for the remainder of the season. Kuldip joins the franchise as an injury replacement for Khaleel Ahmed, who was forced to withdraw from the tournament after sustaining a right quadricep injury during a recent clash against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Before the injury ended his campaign, Khaleel had featured in five matches, claiming two wickets with an economy rate of 8.67.
The incoming right-arm pacer, Kuldip Yadav, is no stranger to the IPL landscape, having previously been part of the Rajasthan Royals (RR) setup. During his stints with the Royals across the 2021 and 2023 seasons, he made three appearances on the field. CSK has secured the bowler for his base price of INR 30 lakh as they look to maintain their bowling depth for the rest of the competition.