Royal Challengers Bengaluru enter their IPL 2026 clash against Punjab Kings with one foot near the playoffs, but their combination is still not fully settled. RCB are sitting at the top of the table and need one more win to seal qualification, yet they have a few uncomfortable selection calls before the Dharamshala game.
Phil Salt’s finger injury has left a hole at the top, Jacob Bethell has not quite filled it, and Romario Shepherd’s form has made the lower-order balance awkward. The HPCA Stadium usually rewards chasing sides and can be unforgiving for bowlers once the ball starts flying in the thin mountain air.
Against a desperate PBKS side on a five-match losing streak, RCB cannot afford to treat this like a warm-up before the playoffs. This is the kind of game where team balance matters as much as table position.
Will Phil Salt play for RCB against PBKS?
As things stand, Phil Salt is unlikely to play against Punjab Kings unless there is a late and very clear fitness update from the RCB camp. Salt has been out for nearly a month with a finger injury and had returned to England for scans. After RCB’s win over KKR, captain Rajat Patidar gave only a vague update, saying, ‘I don’t know, but I think he will come soon,’ when asked about Salt’s availability.
That doesn’t sound like a player ready to walk straight into the XI in Dharamshala. Salt’s absence has hurt RCB because he was giving them fast starts before the injury. He scored 202 runs in six innings at an average of 33.66 and a strike rate of 168.33, including fifties against MI and DC. Those are proper opener numbers, not decorative spreadsheet confetti.
Jacob Bethell has had the responsibility since then, but the returns have been modest. He has scored only 85 runs in six matches at an average of 14.16 and a strike rate of 121.42. He has shown glimpses, but not the powerplay dominance RCB were getting from Salt. Still, unless RCB decide to try Jordan Cox or promote Devdutt Padikkal, Bethell may continue.
BREAKING 🚨: The news of Phil Salt is in india is INCORRECT ❌
(Matt Roller) pi.wte.oh/wMuhI
— RCB Xtra (@Rcb_Xtra) My1,22
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