IPL 2026: Major update on Josh Hazlewood's joining date with RCB

RCB retained Josh Hazlewood for IPL 2026.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are finalising their preparations for the Indian Premier League 2026. They will look to defend their title in the upcoming season. RCB will play the first match of IPL 2026 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on March 28 at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Also Read: Big Blow for RCB; Another star pacer set to miss IPL 2026 – Reports

Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood is a crucial part of RCB‘s bowling unit in IPL 2026. He played a pivotal role in RCB’s title-winning campaign last season, finishing as the team’s highest wicket-taker with 22 scalps in 12 games.

However, Hazlewood has not played any international or competitive cricket for the last few months. He was ruled out of The Ashes 2025-26 and the T20 World Cup 2026 due to hamstring and Achilles injuries. He last played an international match in October 2025.

Josh Hazlewood joins the RCB squad

RCB have got a massive boost as Hazlewood has joined their squad on Thursday, March 26. The Australian pacer landed in Bengaluru on Thursday afternoon and has joined the RCB camp.

Although Hazlewood has joined the RCB squad, he is expected to miss the first few games. The right-arm pacer is likely to undergo rehabilitation at the start and take the field after regaining his fitness.

Notably, the defending champions have already suffered two big blows in their bowling department. Left-arm pacer Yash Dayal has opted out of the tournament due to personal reasons.

Sri Lankan pacer Nuwan Thushara could not get a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) to participate in the tournament due to fitness concerns. The right-arm pacer could not clear the fitness assessment conducted by SLC, which was mandatory to get permission to play in IPL 2026.

Meanwhile, Rajat Patidar will lead the side in IPL 2026. After the opening game against SRH on March 28, they will clash with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on April 5.

RCB will later clash with the Rajasthan Royals (RR) on April 10 and the Mumbai Indians (MI) on April 12. The schedule for only 20 games has been released by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) so far.

For more updates, follow Khel Now Gaming on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Telegram & Whatsapp.