Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) management will take a sigh of relief. Their Rs 2.60 crore buy at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction, Jacob Bethell, is all set to play in the 18th edition of the league. According to the Daily Mail, Bethell, who had injured his left hamstring before the ICC Champions Trophy, was ruled out of the tournament.
Jacob Bethell will play in IPL 2025
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had named Tom Banton as his replacement. RCB management would have feared Bethell might miss the IPL 2025 season as well, but luckily for them, the all-rounder will don the red and gold jersey. RCB were and are still unsure about Josh Hazlewood.
The Australian pacer had a calf strain and a hip issue and missed three of the five matches in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He was also ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy subsequently. RCB or Cricket Australia (CA) are yet to provide a fitness update on Hazlewood.
Knowing that the pacer might miss the IPL 2025 season, RCB would be ecstatic to know that they won’t have to hunt for an overseas batter to replace Bethell. In their squad as well, they don’t have someone of Bethell’s talent. Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, and Rajat Patidar will be the top three, but barring Liam Livingstone, they don’t have proven middle-order batters.
RCB squad for IPL 2025
Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar (c), Yash Dayal, Liam Livingstone ✈️, Phil Salt ✈️, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Josh Hazlewood ✈️, Rasikh Dar, Suyash Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Swapnil Singh, Tim David ✈️, Romario Shepherd ✈️, Nuwan Thushara ✈️, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethell ✈️, Devdutt Padikkal, Swastik Chhikara, Lungi Ngidi ✈️, Abhinandan Singh, Mohit Rathee
