The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are flying high. The reigning Indian Premier League (IPL) champions didn’t have the services of Josh Hazlewood in 3 matches and still managed to win 5 matches at the halfway mark of the league stage. One can’t forget that Yash Dayal isn’t part of their squad either after serious accusations were levied against him. But RCB haven’t missed him.
Salt out, Bethell to continue
That’s what great teams do. They are presented with challenges, internal and external, and they fight their way through. In the last game, one of RCB’s most in-form batters, Phil Salt, had to miss out due to an injury. On the eve of the Delhi Capitals (DC) match, RCB batting coach Dinesh Karthik confirmed that Salt hasn’t recovered. Therefore, Jacob Bethell will continue to open the innings with Virat Kohli.
Rasikh Salam yet to recover
Rasikh Salam, who has taken 5 wickets in 4 matches, couldn’t complete his quota of overs against the Gujarat Titans on April 24. He went down before delivering his final over. One assumed he had cramps, as he’d struggled similarly before as well. However, it seems like Rasikh didn’t just have cramps. Reports suggest that the 26-year-old has a muscle strain and won’t recover for the DC game.
Mangesh Yadav to come in?
Abhinandan Singh and Mangesh Yadav are the only other Indian fast bowlers available in RCB’s squad. The former has already played 3 matches, as RCB opted for him before Rasikh. But the 29-year-old went at 12.62 runs per over and took just 3 wickets in 9.4 overs. He was subsequently dropped. Going back to him doesn’t make much sense.
Mangesh, a left-arm fast bowler, could be a better option. He was bowling primarily in the powerplay for Madhya Pradesh in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and RCB captain Rajat Patidar has seen him up close. His speed and angle can work in the middle overs. Also, teams haven’t seen him yet. The element of surprise could help Mangesh and RCB. He also has some hitting ability. He’s batted just once in T20s, scoring 28 off 12.
Predicted RCB Playing XI vs DC
| S. No. | Player | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virat Kohli | Opener |
| 2 | Jacob Bethell✈️ | Opener |
| 3 | Devdutt Padikkal | Top-order batter |
| 4 | Rajat Patidar (c) | Middle-order batter |
| 5 | Tim David✈️ | Middle-order batter |
| 6 | Jitesh Sharma (wk) | Wicketkeeper |
| 7 | Romario Shepherd✈️ | Batting all-rounder |
| 8 | Krunal Pandya | Bowling all-rounder |
| 9 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Right-arm fast bowler |
| 10 | Josh Hazlewood✈️ | Right-arm fast bowler |
| 11 | Mangesh Yadav | Left-arm fast bowler |
| Impact Sub | Suyash Sharma | Leg spinner |
Cricket
After 986-run day in IPL 2026, batters get reality check on tough pitches
