Will Phil Salt play tonight in SRH vs RCB clash of IPL 2026?
(Courtesy : BCCI/IPL)
Phil Salt had suffered a finger injury against Delhi Capitals on April 18.
Sunrises Hyderabad (SRH) are all set to host Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in a high stakes encounter at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. The match will be played at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Friday, May 22.
Both SRH and RCB have booked their berth in playoffs, but this clash holds great value for both teams in the context of top two qualification. While the defending champions are placed at the top spot with 18 points, SRH are at the third spot with 16 points.
For RCB to secure a place in top two, they need to just win and avoid losing the clash by a big margin. Things are challenging for SRH as they need to win by a margin of over 83 runs or chase the target in 11 overs to pip RCB in NRR.
Will Phil Salt play SRH vs RCB match in IPL 2026 tonight?
Coming to Phil Salt, the England opener is unlikely to play tonight’s SRH vs RCB clash. The keeper-batter batter is still recovering from a finger injury, which occurred when he attempted a dive to stop the ball near the boundary in a clash against Delhi Capitals.
Following the injury, Salt had returned to England for scans and further assessment, forcing him to miss last seven matches. Salt is still in England and will miss league stage. However, RCB are hopeful about him returning to India for playoffs.
The reports in ESPNCricinfo also suggested that Salt is set to return to India later this week and join the RCB squad. This will be a big boost for RCB as Salt played a great role in their title win last year, and also looked good this season, scoring 202 runs at a strike rate of 168 in six matches, including two half-centuries.
In Salt’s absence, Jacob Bethell has struggled to utilise the opportunity which has come his way. While the English left-hander had shown immense potential against India in the T20 World Cup semi-final, he is yet to produce a breakthrough innings in the IPL. Bethell has managed just 96 runs in seven games, with a highest score of 27.
Will Phil Salt play tonight for SRH vs RCB in IPL 2026?
Phil Salt is unlikely to feature in IPL 2026 match between PBKS and RCB due to finger injury.
Why is Phil Salt unavailable for RCB?
Phil Salt had suffered a finger injury while fielding during RCB’s match against Delhi Capitals on April 18. He later returned to England for scans and recovery, and his current status is unclear.
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Ankitjit Singh is a dedicated sports journalist whose childhood dream was to play cricket—now, he serves the game through his work. With over three years of experience in reporting, writing, and editing, he brings deep insight to his coverage. A journalism graduate from Delhi University, Ankitjit’s passion for cricket took root during his college days and continues to drive his career.