RCB's-Title-Hopes-Face-Major-Setback-as-Josh-Hazlewood-Likely-to-Miss-IPL-2025-Resumptio-ReporRCB Captain Patidar's Injury Adds to Resumption Worries Amid Hazlewood Doubt

 

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) chances of their first-ever IPL championship may have received a major jolt even prior to the restart of the tournament on May 16th. As per several reports, their star fast bowler Josh Hazlewood is set to withdraw from the rest of the IPL 2025 season with a shoulder injury.

 

RCB's Top Wicket-Taker Set to Miss IPL Resumption, Creating Bowling Void

 

Josh Hazlewood, one of the leading bowlers in RCB this season with 18 wickets from 10 games, also sat out on the team's last match preceding the weeklong suspension against the Chennai Super Kings on May 3rd with the niggle. 

While he was expected back, the current reports indicate Cricket Australia (CA) will prioritize his fitness ahead of the imminent World Test Championship (WTC) final versus South Africa to start on the 11th of June in England.   

The Australian pacer had been nursing a string of injuries, including a side strain and a calf strain, in the early part of the year. The IPL was viewed as a chance for him to get back into match rhythm before important international matches.

But with the WTC final being the top priority for Australia, CA would be advised to tread carefully and may not wish to jeopardize Hazlewood's complete recovery by letting him play in the condensed IPL schedule.

This probable unavailability of Hazlewood is a cause of great concern for the RCB leadership. He has been their top wicket-taker and an important cog in both powerplay and death overs. Without him, there would be a huge vacuum in their bowling department, and the burden would increase on the other bowlers to deliver consistently in the remaining games and the playoffs, if RCB makes it.

 

RCB's Playoff Push Faces Setbacks with Key Players Likely Sidelined

 

To add to RCB's worries, captain Rajat Patidar had also suffered a finger injury while playing against CSK and was likely to sit out at least a couple of games. The unplanned break could have given him time to recover, but losing a vital bowler like Hazlewood would still prove to be a big blow to their title hopes.

The return of other overseas players for RCB too is unsure. Though the BCCI has instructed franchises to have their foreign players back by the 13th of May, the individual boards may have different considerations, particularly with the WTC final not far away.

RCB are placed second on the table now and are good bets to qualify for a playoff, but in the absence of their main players, their quest to win the coveted IPL trophy may become much tougher. The franchise now will have to dig deep into their bench strength and plan very carefully to make up for the possible loss of Josh Hazlewood.