Will Josh Hazlewood Miss IPL Opener for Royal Challengers Bengaluru?

Josh Hazlewood in IPL 2026 has always been a big boost for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, as he has been included in the squad. But it has a twist, because the Australian pacer won't be available at the start of the tournament.

Hazlewood has been awaited by the fans, and he has connected with the RCB camp and landed in Bengaluru. This is a good sign for the team, particularly following the tensions about his presence. However, even with his arrival, the fans will at least have to wait a little more before they can watch him in action.

The ongoing recovery from his injuries can explain this delay. Hazlewood has been grappling with a hamstring injury and Achilles discomfort that previously removed the player from playing in the 2026 T20 World Cup. Even to date, he continues to receive rehabilitation and is not medically cleared to play in matches.

As a result, Hazlewood will miss at least two games for RCB, including the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 28 and the match against Chennai Super Kings on April 5. It has been reported that he might rejoin the tournament later, probably against either Rajasthan Royals or Mumbai Indians, should he be well and Cricket Australia confirm his rejoining.

This puts RCB in a challenging situation, bearing in mind the influence Hazlewood had last season. In 2025, he was the top wicket-taker in the team's title-winning campaign, taking 22 wickets in only 12 matches, making him a star of the team.

Without him, RCB will have to look at other bowlers to fill his shoes. Jacob Duffy is a new pacer of New Zealand who has been included in the team and will probably do the early striking. He will be accompanied by their experienced Indian pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who will ensure the bowling unit moves in the right direction. It is also expected of the team to provide opportunities to domestic talents such as Rasikh Dar, Abhinandan Singh, and Mangesh Yadav.

Our Take

Although Josh Hazlewood's inclusion is certainly a significant positive for RCB, his absence during the initial few matches may hurt the club by the start of the season. Players such as Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jacob Duffy now have a role in keeping the bowling together. Provided that RCB does not mishandle this stage, Hazlewood's return later will provide the necessary boost to put the tournament in their hands.