Will Josh Hazlewood play for RCB in IPL 2026?
(Courtesy : Getty Images)
Josh Hazlewood picked 22 wickets in RCB’s maiden title winning season in IPL 2025.
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) ended a long drought of 17 years by finally clinching their maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title last year. Their squad was headlined by match winners, contrary to previous seasons when their bowling let them down.
RCB picked two seasoned fast bowlers in Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who shouldered the burden of RCB‘s powerplay and death bowling phase.
The Aussie quick mainly delivered big time for RCB, nailing his yorkers and bowling test-match lines in the powerplay. He fully justified his 12.5 price tag, and became Rajat Patidar’s go-to man, whenever the opposition batting lineup seemed to run away with the match.
Playing 12 matches, Hazlewood picked 22 wickets at a strike rate of 12 and economy of 8.77, which are sensational numbers for a bowler bowling in the toughest passages.
Will Josh Hazlewood play for RCB in IPL 2026?
Josh Hazlewood will be instrumental for RCB, if they wish to defend their IPL title. However, the Australian last played a match in November 2025 for New South Wales (NSW) against Victoria before sustaining hamstring and Achilles injuries.
He missed the all-important Ashes 2025-26 series, and was even ruled out of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Earlier, Hazlewood was expected to be fit for the IPL 2026, but uncertainty remains over his availability and fitness, with the tournament set to begin in less than two weeks.
According to a source from Hindustan Times:
“He is still under the physio care, and his participation in the IPL depends on whether he gets the clearance or not. There’s still plenty of time, but it’s a wait-and-watch situation for now.”
RCB will be hoping for Hazlewood’s participation clearance, as his absence will be a huge blow to their chances for winning the Cup. Their pace battery will be weakened significantly, with the entire onus then falling on the shoulders of Yash Dayal and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
The defending champions will kick off the IPL 2026 season, playing their opening match against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in Bengaluru at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium on March 28.
How many wickets did Josh Hazlewood take in IPL 2025?
Josh Hazlewood picked up 22 wickets in 12 matches during RCB’s title winning campaign.
When will RCB play their first match in IPL 2026?
RCB’s opening match is against the Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 28.
For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.
Aniruddh Seshadri Iyer is a passionate sports journalist at Khel Now, specializing in tennis and Olympic sports. An engineer by training, he found his storytelling passion through iconic Grand Slam and Olympic moments. Known for sharp analysis and insightful coverage, he draws inspiration from Novak Djokovic’s resilience. Outside journalism, he enjoys reading, traveling, and playing the guitar.