Josh Hazlewood, the bowler for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), was first listed as being unable to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. However, despite a persistent injury issue for the tall pacer, fresh sources indicate that the right-arm fast bowler will finally be available for the tournament’s final leg. However, the precise day of his arrival has not yet been established.
Hazlewood has been picked to play in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final between South Africa and Australia, which is set to start at the Lord’s on June 11. According to sources, a lot of international players might skip the rest of the IPL because their international obligations conflict.
However, RCB benefits greatly from the pacer’s availability.
The Hindustan Times claims that the Australian pacer was at the top of his game for the Bengaluru-based team, taking 18 wickets at an economy rate of 8.44 in 10 innings. In order to recover from a series of injuries, including a calf problem and a side strain, the 34-year-old had underwent therapy earlier this year.
If the Bengaluru team qualifies, they are also expecting confirmation from Jacob Bethell and Lungi Ngidi that they will be present during the playoff stage. Because the current IPL season’s playoff schedule was postponed due to a number of geopolitical issues in the nation, and the international stars’ national duties conflict with it.
With eight wins in 11 games, RCB is presently ranked second in the IPL 2025 points standings. On May 17, at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, the Rajat Patidar-led team will play their maiden match against the reigning champion Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
The Rajat Patidar-led team will go to the playoffs with 18 points after defeating KKR. The remaining league games for RCB are against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on May 27 and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on May 23.
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