Picture Credit: BCCI/IPL
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 is all set to resume from Saturday, May 17 after a week’s break which came due to the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. On the tournament’s resumption, in the first match, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will take on defending champions, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
While the Bengaluru-based franchise will be hoping to secure their playoffs berth with a win tonight, they will be missing the services of one of their main players, Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood. Ahead of the match, RCB Director of Cricket, Mo Bobat confirmed Hazlewood’s absence from the upcoming game as the pacer recovers from a shoulder niggle.
Josh Hazlewood to miss RCB vs KKR IPL 2025 clash in Bengaluru; confirms Mo Bobat
Addressing the press conference on the eve of the match, Mo Bobat confirmed Hazlewood’s unavailability. “And in Josh Hazelwood's case, he's obviously been managing a shoulder niggle, which he's had for a couple of weeks now. He's still back in Australia and he's still working on his rehab to come back from that shoulder niggle. We don't have any updates right now at the minute, so we're going to have to take that day-by-day,” Bobat said.
Moreover, a report in smh.com.au as quoted by Times Now claimed that the right-arm pacer will complete his rehabilitation in Brisbane next week and will then fly to India before the playoffs. It is to be noted that the league stage concludes on May 27, which the playoffs set to commence from May 29.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s updated squad for IPL 2025
Rajat Patidar (c), Virat Kohli, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Liam Livingstone, Rasikh Dar, Suyash Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Nuwan Thushara, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethel, Mayank Agarwal, Swastik Chhikara, Lungi Ngidi, Abhinandan Singh, Mohit Rathee
