Josh Hazlewood's Injury Raises Doubts for RCB's IPL 2026 Opener
Injury Concerns for Star Pacer
Josh Hazlewood, the prominent fast bowler, is in the process of recuperating from an injury, leaving his participation in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's first match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 28 uncertain. This situation could significantly impact RCB's IPL 2026 journey. Hazlewood has not taken part in any competitive cricket since the Sheffield Shield clash between Victoria and New South Wales last November, after which he was ruled out of the 2025–26 Ashes series due to injury.
Although he was included in Australia's T20 World Cup squad, Hazlewood faced a calf injury just five days before the opening match against Ireland. Veteran batsman Steve Smith filled in for him, but Australia faced an early exit from the tournament, largely due to the absence of key players. Hazlewood has been struggling with calf, Achilles, and hamstring issues for several months.
A source mentioned, "He is still under physiotherapy, and his participation in the IPL hinges on receiving medical clearance. There’s still time, but for now, it’s a wait-and-see scenario," as reported by a media outlet.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the schedule for the initial 20 matches of IPL 2026 on March 11. The complete schedule will be revealed once the Election Commission discloses the dates for state elections. Additionally, the Karnataka government's expert committee is set to evaluate the matches planned in Bengaluru. They will inspect the stadium on March 13 and conduct a comprehensive mock drill to ensure match-day arrangements are in place.
RCB Squad for IPL 2026
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru squad includes: Rajat Patidar (c), Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Jacob Bethell, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Nuwan Thushara, Rasikh Salam, Abhinandan Singh, Suyash Sharma, Venkatesh Iyer, Mangesh Yadav, Jacob Duffy, Satwik Deswal, Jordan Cox, Vihaan Malhotra, Kanishk Chouhan, and Vicky Ostwal.