Royal Challengers Bengaluru will enter the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium aiming to secure a confirmed top-two finish in IPL 2026 as the focus once again shifts towards explosive English batsman Phil Salt, who has remained out of the RCB setup for a long period due to a finger injury.
With the tournament now entering its final stages and playoffs around the corner, RCB will be desperately hoping to have one of their most destructive batters back in the squad as soon as possible.
Phil Salt suffered finger injury during clash against Delhi Capitals
Phil Salt picked up the injury during RCB’s clash against Delhi Capitals at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on April 18.
The English wicketkeeper-batsman injured his finger while attempting a boundary save near deep backward square leg. Although the severity of the injury was not initially revealed by the franchise, concerns quickly grew after Salt returned to England for specialized finger scans and further medical assessment.
The good news for RCB fans, however, is that Salt has now returned and rejoined the squad ahead of the business end of the tournament.
Why RCB are unlikely to risk Phil Salt before the IPL 2026 playoffs
Despite Salt’s return to the camp, it is highly unlikely that RCB will rush him straight back into the playing XI against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
RCB have already secured qualification for the playoffs and are currently in a very strong position to finish inside the top two. With a healthy net run rate advantage and Qualifier 1 almost within reach, the management is expected to avoid taking unnecessary risks with Salt’s fitness just before the knockout stage.
The franchise will likely monitor how his finger responds during training sessions and net practice before making any final call regarding his comeback.
With all factors considered, it currently appears unlikely that Phil Salt will feature in the SRH vs RCB clash.
Jacob Bethell struggles in absence of Salt
Jacob Bethell replaced Salt in top order and it went horribly wrong for him. In seven matches, Bethell has managed only 96 runs at an average of 13.71, failing to provide the explosive starts that Salt regularly offered during the first half of the tournament.
RCB have looked phenomenal throughout IPL 2026 and currently sit among the top-performing sides of the tournament with nine wins in 13 matches.
Their batting and bowling departments have clicked brilliantly throughout the campaign. Virat Kohli has once again delivered consistently with the bat, while skipper Rajat Patidar and the recently in-form Venkatesh Iyer have also contributed strongly in the middle order.
In the bowling department, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has led the attack superbly and remains one of the biggest reasons behind RCB’s dominant run this season.
ALSO READ: Latest Cricket News
Comments are closed.