Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) premier fast bowler Josh Hazlewood is likely to miss the opening few matches of the IPL 2026 season. The Australian pacer, who was instrumental in RCB’s maiden title win in 2025, is still struggling with persistent injury concerns that have kept him out of action for months.

According to recent reports, the 35-year-old seamer has yet to receive medical clearance from Cricket Australia.

Dual Injury Woes: Hazlewood is currently undergoing rehabilitation for both hamstring and Achilles tendon injuries. These same issues forced him to miss the entire Ashes 2025-26 campaign and the 2026 T20 World Cup.

Physio Care: He remains under the strict supervision of physios in Sydney. While he is expected to join the squad later in the tournament, he is officially ruled out of the season opener against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 28.

Why This Hurts RCB

Josh Hazlewood was the backbone of RCB’s bowling attack during their championship run last year:

2025 Impact: He claimed 22 wickets in just 12 matches, consistently delivering crucial breakthroughs in the powerplay and death overs.

With Pat Cummins also set to miss the start of the season for SRH, the IPL 2026 opening match between RCB and SRH will see both teams missing their primary Australian pace spearheads.

RCB’s Potential Alternatives

No one can perfectly replace Hazlewood’s metronomic accuracy, but the Rajat Patidar-led side will have to lean on their depth:

Bhuvneshwar Kumar: The veteran Indian seamer will likely shoulder the bulk of the powerplay responsibility.

Overseas Options: Nuwan Thushara (the Sri Lankan slinger) and Jacob Duffy (New Zealand) are the primary contenders to take the overseas pacer slot in the XI.

Potential Replacements: If Josh Hazlewood is ruled out for the long term, names like Sean Abbott, Gerald Coetzee, or Jhye Richardson (who went unsold in the Indian Premier League 2026 auction) could be considered as injury replacements.

Potential Replacements: If Josh Hazlewood is ruled out for the long term, names like Sean Abbott, Gerald Coetzee, or Jhye Richardson (who went unsold in the Indian Premier League 2026 auction) could be considered as injury replacements.