Mo Bobat provides crucial update on Josh Hazlewood ahead of RCB vs KKR IPL 2025 match

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Director of Cricket Mo Bobat has said that Australian paceman Josh Hazlewood has not yet linked up with the squad. The Englishman added that the 33-year-old was recovering from his shoulder angle, which is being monitored by Cricket Australia.

The Australian pacer had missed RCB’s last match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Bengaluru on May 3 and was replaced by South Africa’s Lungi Ngidi in the playing XI.

“With Josh, he’s our only player not here at the moment. He’s recovering from his shoulder niggle that he had. He’s doing that with Cricket Australia. Our medical team and their medical team have been liaising on what the detail looks like and he’s just taking that day by day and he’s trying to improve his shot,” Bobat said at the pre-match press conference on Friday via Livemint.

Bobat expressed optimism about Rajat Patidar’s participation in the match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Saturday, admitting that the break had given him time to recover from the finger injury.

“Rajat’s (Patidar) been going well. He had an injury to his hand, but he’s been building up ever so slowly. For him personally, probably the disruption gave him a few more days just to try to get through some of that early healing, and for that swelling to go down, and for him to get used to picking up a bat again. He’s practiced the last few days and he’s going well,” he said.

RCB, KKR resume IPL 2025 in Bengaluru after nine-day break

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will resume IPL 2025 on Saturday, May 17, after a nine-day break. RCB are in second place on the points table, with 16 points in 11 matches. They have won each of their last two home matches against Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings.

KKR are in must-win territory as far as Playoff qualification is concerned. They are in sixth place on the points table with 11 points in 12 matches. However, the defending champions have not lost to RCB in Bengaluru since 2015.