3 reasons why Josh Hazlewood will be a big miss for RCB if he is ruled out of IPL 2023

In what is concerning news for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and its fans, Josh Hazlewood, one of the team's main bowlers, might not be able to participate in atleast a part of this year's edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) as he is recovering from Achilles tendonitis.

Josh Hazlewood was bought by RCB at the mega-auction in 2022 for an amount of 7.75 crores. He was excellent over the course of the tournament as he picked up 20 wickets in 12 games at an average of 18.85 and an economy rate of 8.10.

On that note, let's take a look at three reasons why the Australian quick will be a huge miss for the Royal Challengers Bangalore:

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#1 Impact in IPL 2022

Josh Hazlewood was a reliable player for RCB in the 2022 season as he often delivered the goods when the team needed him to. He was consistent in different phases and produced some match defining spells.

His hard lengths made it difficult for the batters to hit him. The Aussie was the captain's go-to option in the powerplay and the middle-overs and his absence will certainly be a huge miss.

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#2 Lack of reliable options for RCB

Other pacers in RCB's squad include Mohammad Siraj, Harshal Patel, David Willey, Siddarth Kaul, and Reece Topley. All of them have a tendency to leak runs at times, which is a huge concern for the Bengaluru-based franchise.

Hazlewood was accurate most of the time in IPL 2022 and his economy rates were also phenomenal. His absence will expose the weak link in the Challenger's bowling line-up, which has been a reason for the team's underwhelming showings in the past as well.

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#3 T20 Record

Often labeled as a bowler more suited to Tests, Josh Hazlewood has a fantastic record in T20s. The tall pacer has played 93 games in the shortest format and has picked up 124 wickets in the process. He also has a decent economy rate of 7.57.

In recent times, he has been sensational in T20 cricket and is currently ranked 3rd in the ICC's rankings for bowlers. Not too long ago, he was at the top of the charts thanks to his brilliant performances.

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