Why is Phil Salt not playing tonight's LSG vs RCB clash of IPL 2026?
(Courtesy : BCCI/IPL)
Phil Salt was also absent from RCB’s previous game against GT in IPL 2026.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are clashing with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the 50th match of the Indian Premier League 2026. The encounter is taking place at Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on May 7.
After a one-week break, the Rajat Patidar & Co. are looking to make a strong comeback against LSG. With a victory in tonight’s match, they can jump to the top of the IPL 2026 points table. RCB lost their previous clash against the Gujarat Titans (GT) by four wickets.
LSG are stranded in the last spot in the points table with just two wins and seven defeats out of nine games. They have the home advantage in tonight’s game, but amid their ongoing struggles, RCB look stronger to win the clash.
In the 50th match of IPL 2026, RCB captain Rajat Patidar won the toss and opted to field first. Notably, RCB opener Phil Salt is once again absent from the playing XI.
Here’s why Phil Salt is not part of the LSG vs RCB match
Notably, Phil Salt is yet to recover from his finger injury. He has returned to the United Kingdom (UK) for further scans of his injured finger. He is expected to return towards the end of the tournament.
While RCB have not revealed much about the timing of his injury, reports suggest that it happened when he tried to save a boundary against Delhi Capitals on April 18.
Salt also missed the previous game against the Gujarat Titans, which RCB lost by five wickets. This is the fourth consecutive match in which Salt is not playing.
He provided quickfire starts in a few games, and his aggressive batting style has helped RCB dominate opponents. His England teammate Jacob Bethell has been retained as an opener once again in tonight’s game against LSG.
Meanwhile, Salt has played in six encounters in IPL 2026. He has scored two half-centuries, one of which was against the DC. With 202 runs in six games at a strike rate of 168.33, he has done a decent job for his team.
Is Phil Salt part of the LSG vs RCB match?
No, Salt is not part of the LSG vs RCB match. He is recovering from a finger injury.
Who are RCB’s openers in the clash against LSG?
Virat Kohli and Jacob Bethell are the openers for RCB in the clash against LSG.
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Vikas Singh Derek is a core cricket-lover since childhood and has always followed the sport both in his personal and professional life. He started his school life by watching cricket at home with family. Later, he played cricket on the field at local clubs during college. After his Master's in Journalism from Mumbai, he followed his passion by covering cricket news across various digital media. Since 2015, he has been an aspiring sports journalist and cricket content writer with over 50K+ articles.