Former India player Aakash Chopra has said that Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc’s potential unavailability for the rest of the IPL 2025 could hurt the RCB and the Delhi Capitals (DC) respectively. He added that the two Australian pacers are unlikely to join their respective sides for the important phase of the tournament.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said, “Just like it’s being said that Josh Hazlewood won’t come for RCB, it seems like Mitchell Starc won’t come. If Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood don’t come, RCB and Delhi will both be pegged back a little. I have also heard that Jake Fraser-McGurk is not coming. Even if he was coming, he wasn’t playing in any case. So him not coming won’t make a huge difference.”
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“Cricket Australia have said that the players can take a call on whether they want to go or not. I don’t know who will return and who won’t. Teams have started calling them back, but we really don’t know who would be available. I think whoever has more Australians will get stuck a little,” he again shared.
However, Aakash Chopra also added that the RCB will likely have Phil Salt’s services for the rest of IPL 2025 as he hasn’t been picked in England’s squad for the ODI series against the West Indies as well.
“The qualifiers will start from the 29th. Another news is that England have matches against the West Indies – three ODIs and three T20Is. The T20Is are after the final. There could have been a question about Phil Salt’s availability, but since it’s after the final, he is available,” he said.
“The ODIs are on the 29th, 1st and 3rd, and five of the players are involved in the IPL. Some of them don’t make a difference. If Jamie Overton and Jofra Archer leave, it won’t make a difference. However, Jos Buttler, Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks are also there. So Mumbai, Bengaluru and GT will get affected a little if they qualify, which it seems they will,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
