Josh Hazlewood Joins RCB Ahead of IPL 2026 Season
Hazlewood's Arrival at RCB
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], March 26: Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has officially joined the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) camp in preparation for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season.
This announcement was made by the Bengaluru-based franchise through their social media channels. Hazlewood's inclusion is viewed as a major enhancement to RCB's bowling lineup, given his extensive experience and achievements in both domestic and international cricket.
This is not a drill.
This is not a prank (well, the start of the reel was).
This is really happening.
The one the entire RCB Nation wanted to see, has ARRIVED.
HazleGOD is in ನಮ್ಮ’uru and we cannot contain our excitement!!!
#PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #IPL2026 pic.twitter.com/qAiMVa38Zr
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) March 26, 2026
Despite his arrival, RCB will start the tournament without Hazlewood, as he is still recovering from hamstring and Achilles injuries.
The right-arm bowler also missed the recent Ashes series against England and was unable to participate in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup held in India and Sri Lanka.
Hazlewood played a crucial role in RCB's first IPL title victory, taking 22 wickets in 12 matches with an impressive average of 17.54.
In other news, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has released the schedule for the second phase of IPL 2026.
The BCCI will announce the venues for the Playoffs at a later date.
The remaining league matches, totaling 50, are set to occur from April 13 to May 24, across 12 locations in India.
According to an official IPL statement, the second phase will take place in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Jaipur, Dharamsala, Raipur, and New Chandigarh.
Previously, the BCCI had shared the schedule for the first phase of IPL 2026, which runs from March 28 to April 12.
The tournament will kick off with the defending champions RCB facing off against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
A total of 20 matches will be held across 10 venues during the first phase, including Bengaluru, Mumbai, Guwahati, New Chandigarh, Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad.