Josh Hazlewood’s IPL 2025 campaign appears all but over. The veteran Australian pacer, a crucial cog in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s bowling unit, is unlikely to return to India for the remainder of the season. Hazlewood, who has claimed 18 wickets in just 10 matches this year, returned to Australia last week following a minor pause in the IPL season. He is currently nursing a shoulder injury that also ruled him out of RCB’s high-voltage clash against Chennai Super Kings on May 3 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
With the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final just around the corner, Australia are set to face South Africa at Lord’s from June 11. Cricket Australia is understandably prioritising Hazlewood’s fitness. As per reports from the Australian media, he is not expected to return to the RCB camp, with national duties taking precedence.
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In a double blow for RCB, skipper Rajat Patidar’s availability is also under serious doubt. As per The Indian Express, the Madhya Pradesh batter sustained a finger injury during the game against CSK and has been advised to wear a splint. He is currently ruled out of training and may take longer to recover, raising concerns not only for RCB but also for the India A squad ahead of their England tour.
RCB CAMP UPDATE 🚨
– R Patidar miss a couple of games
– J Hazlewood unlikely to return
– D Padikkal is already ruled out
– R Shepherd has national duty conflict
– P Salt has national duty conflict
– J Bethell has national duty conflict
– L Livingstone has national duty conflict pic.twitter.com/aClehjMLwH— Prashanth Mudhiraj (@p4prashanthh) May 13, 2025
Patidar has been a standout leader and performer for RCB this season. Featuring in all 11 games so far, he’s amassed 239 runs in 10 innings. While RCB still holds a sliver of hope that Patidar could return as an Impact Player late in the season, his injury status remains uncertain.
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If Patidar remains unavailable, wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma, who captained Punjab Kings in IPL 2024, will likely step in as interim captain for the business end of the tournament. Sharma’s leadership credentials and batting firepower offer RCB a solid contingency, but losing both Hazlewood and Patidar at this stage could prove costly for a side still chasing their elusive maiden IPL title.
