Overview:

RCB’s bowling plans may face hurdles, with Hazlewood still not recovered. According to recent reports, he will miss the first two matches of IPL 2026 as he works on regaining full fitness.

Faf du Plessis has recommended that Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) maintain their existing overseas lineup for IPL 2026, consisting of Phil Salt, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, and Josh Hazlewood. Despite the presence of Jacob Bethell, Nuwan Thushara, and Jacob Duffy, du Plessis believes RCB should maintain the winning combination that played a crucial role in their title triumph last season.

The success of RCB was heavily influenced by their foreign players, with Phil Salt and Virat Kohli forging a dynamic opening partnership. Tim David and Romario Shepherd were pivotal in the middle and lower order, while Josh Hazlewood spearheaded the bowling department.

When asked about Jacob Bethell possibly joining Kohli for a left-right opening combo, du Plessis emphasized that Salt should continue to be part of the team.

“I would stick with Salt because of the successful combination he had with Virat last year. Salt brings that explosive power, scoring 50 off 20 balls and looking to maximize every opportunity. So, I believe they will go with him. Bethell’s performance in that World Cup semifinal was outstanding, but for me, I would go with Salt, Hazlewood, David, and Shepherd as the overseas options in the playing XI,” du Plessis told ESPN Cricinfo.

Bethell’s outstanding T20 World Cup campaign, where he was England’s top scorer and made a remarkable century against India in the semifinal, cannot be overlooked. However, Salt’s struggles in the tournament, with just 130 runs from eight matches at an average of 16.25, remain a concern.

RCB’s bowling plans may face hurdles, with Hazlewood still not recovered. According to recent reports, he will miss the first two matches of IPL 2026 as he works on regaining full fitness.

“I don’t expect Hazlewood to play every game for them. At one point, he was even being considered for the World Cup, so you’d imagine that six months down the line, his body will be in much better shape. When he was in the team, even during my time, our bowling attack was always strong. But without him, there’s a significant gap, as he picks key wickets in the powerplay and is exceptional at the death. A lot of the team’s success depends on Hazlewood’s availability,” Faf du Plessis added.

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