Is Josh Hazlewood playing today's LSG vs RCB IPL 2025 match?

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) pacer Josh Hazlewood was not included in the playing XI for the IPL 2025 match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Lucknow on Tuesday, May 27. The 33-year-old did not feature in the previous match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Friday, May 23.

Hazlewood has taken 18 wickets in 10 matches- the fourth highest by a bowler this season. The Australian pacer rejoined the RCB squad over the weekend, following the team's 42-run defeat to SRH in Lucknow on Friday. Rajat Patidar was picked as the Impact Player for the second match in a row on Tuesday.

Stand-in captain Jitesh Sharma won the toss and chose to bowl first.

RCB aim to play PBKS in first qualifier of IPL 2025 with a win on Tuesday

RCB enter the match against LSG on Tuesday in third place on the points table. They have 17 points in 13 matches and a net run-rate of +0.255. A win for the side will help them play the first qualifier against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Mullanpur on Thursday, May 29.

A defeat to LSG will mean that they would face Mumbai Indians (MI) in the eliminator clash on Friday, May 30, while Gujarat Titans (GT) will play PBKS in the first qualifier. RCB have made the playoffs in five out of the last six IPL seasons, only missing out in 2023, where they finished sixth on the table.

However, they have played the eliminator clash in each of those five seasons and managed to win only one of those matches against LSG in Kolkata in the 2022 IPL. The dream of winning the elusive title in 2022, however, remained unfulfilled as the Rajasthan Royals defeated them in the second qualifier.

RCB have played in three IPL finals, the last of which came in 2016, where they lost to SRH in Bengaluru.