3 players who could replace Jacob Bethell at RCB for IPL 2026 playoffs

RCB’s Jacob Bethell has been ruled out for the remainder of the season.

With 18 points in 14 matches, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have secured a spot in Qualifier 1 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 along with the Gujarat Titans (GT). However, the defending champions have suffered a blow just before their play-off fixture.

Jacob Bethell has been ruled out of the IPL 2026 due to a left ring finger injury. He sustained the injury during RCB’s league clash against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) on May 17. The 22-year-old scored 11 runs in seven deliveries against last year’s runner-ups.

With the announcement of his injury, the conversation of a potential replacement for the defending champions has commenced. Thus, in this article, let’s take a look at the 3 players who replace Jacob Bethell at RCB for the IPL 2026 playoffs.

Players who can replace Jacob Bethell at RCB for IPL 2026 playoffs

3. Jonny Bairstow

Jonny Bairstow can potentially replace his English compatriot for the play-offs for the franchise. The wicketkeeper-batter has experience playing in the IPL, having represented the Mumbai Indians, the Punjab Kings, and the Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Bairstow also has two centuries and nine fifties in the Coveted League, where he has given his most promising performances for SRH. Last year, he scored 85 runs in two games that he played for Mumbai. The 36-year-old went unbeaten in the 2026 IPL mini-auction.

2. Rahmanullah Gurbaz

Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who entered the 2026 IPL mini-auction with a price tag of INR 1.50 crore, went unsold. However, the Afghan wicketkeeper batter can potentially get an opportunity to play in the ongoing edition of the IPL if RCB decides to choose him as Jacob Bethell’s replacement.

Guzbaz has played 19 games in the Indian Premier League, all for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who did not sign the 24-year-old for the 2026 season. Playing primarily as an opening batter, Gurbaz racked up a total of 363 runs across three different seasons for KKR. The Afghan wicketkeeper-batter can play huge shots and could be a great addition to the line-up.

1. Jake Fraser-McGurk

Often considered a ‘one-season wonder’, Jake Fraser-McGurk went unsold in the 2026 auction. Fraser-McGurk has played 15 matches across two seasons for the Delhi Capitals. His best performance came in the 2024 season, when he scored 330 runs in 9 matches, with a strike rate of 199.49, while maintaining an average of 25.67.

However, after failing to deliver solid performances in the 2025 season, he was dropped by the Capitals in the latter half of the season and eventually lost his place in the line-up. Nevertheless, the hard-hitting Australian opener can get a chance to play under the Royal Challengers Bengaluru banner.

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