Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) held a practice session on Thursday at the Chinnaswamy, with all but one of their overseas picks looking ready to pick up where they left off.
Phil Salt, Liam Livingstone, and Jacob Bethell arrived in India after the Indian Premier League (IPL) resumed following a week-long suspension. Tim David, Lungi Ngidi, and Romario Shepherd also joined the squad. The only RCB foreign player who remains absent is Josh Hazlewood, whose return is uncertain due to a minor shoulder niggle. While the injury may not have been a major concern on its own, the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final has made Australia cautious.
RCB, like several franchises, has been impacted by overlaps between the revised IPL schedule and international bilateral fixtures. Still, most of their players are expected to stay on for the league stage.
Bethell was excluded from England’s squad for the four-day Test against Zimbabwe, which begins on May 22, to ensure his full availability for the IPL. However, with the IPL final now rescheduled to next week, Bethell will leave after RCB’s home game against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). This means he will miss both the final group-stage fixture and the playoffs, should RCB qualify.
Ngidi finds himself in a similar situation. Cricket South Africa (CSA) has asked him to return no later than May 26 to ensure their WTC preparations aren’t compromised. Like Bethell, he will also miss the playoffs if RCB make it that far.
On a more promising note for RCB, both Salt and Livingstone will remain with the side till the end. Having been dropped from England’s ODI squad, they are no longer under immediate national duty. Salt is part of the T20I leg of the series against the West Indies, but with that beginning on June 6, he has ample time to return home even if RCB reach the final.
Cricket West Indies (CWI), in a recent statement, confirmed that their players will stay in India for the rest of the tournament. While this might cause a few absences in their squad for the England and Ireland white-ball series, RCB will be relieved that Romario Shepherd won’t leave during the playoffs, which begin on May 29.
“We acknowledge that players have their individual contractual arrangements which they would want to honour as it relates to their continued participation,” CWI said in a press release. “CWI fully supports those players who choose to remain in India to complete the tournament. We remain confident in the depth and quality of our talent and are committed to fielding a strong, competitive squad to represent the West Indies with pride. Strategic adjustments have been made to ensure key areas are adequately covered.”
As for Hazlewood, all eyes are now on what Cricket Australia (CA) decides. His return would be a major boost for RCB in this fiercely competitive season. The Australian pacer is a strong contender for the Purple Cap, and with just two wickets separating him from the top spot, his presence could make a serious difference.
