Australian quick undergoing rehab, franchise hopeful of early return
March 24, 2026: Royal Challengers Bengaluru are closely monitoring the fitness of Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood ahead of the Indian Premier League 2026 season. The fast bowler is currently in Australia undergoing a structured rehabilitation programme after suffering a hamstring injury during the Sheffield Shield last year. Team management confirmed that they are in constant touch with Cricket Australia, and Hazlewood will only travel to India once he is fully match-fit.
Hazlewood has not played competitive cricket since the injury and was also ruled out of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 due to incomplete recovery. As a result, he is expected to miss the initial phase of IPL 2026, with no clear timeline set for his return. His absence is a setback for RCB, especially after his impactful performances in the previous season played a key role in the team’s success.
Despite setbacks, including Hazlewood’s injury and Yash Dayal being unavailable for the season, RCB remain confident in their squad depth. The franchise is backing domestic pacers like Rasikh Dar, Abhinandan Singh, and Mangesh Yadav to step up if needed. RCB will begin their campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 28 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.