Overview
- Josh Hazlewood remains in hamstring and Achilles rehabilitation and is expected to miss the opening fixtures for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
- Hindustan Times reports he is likely out of the first phase, with availability only after Cricket Australia’s medical clearance and a potential link‑up around April 12.
- RCB open on March 28 against Sunrisers Hyderabad, with early opponents also including Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals.
- New Zealand seamer Jacob Duffy is the likeliest replacement, though his T20 World Cup 2026 return was poor with three wickets in five matches.
- Hazlewood led RCB in wickets last season (22 in 12) and his pairing with Bhuvneshwar Kumar yielded 39, as pundits split between Michael Clarke’s optimism about a late return and Kris Srikkanth’s warning that RCB lose a major threat without him.