Patidar recovers quickly from finger injury, hints at return against KKR

As IPL 2025 resumes after a temporary pause, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are keeping a close watch on the fitness of key players Rajat Patidar and Josh Hazlewood ahead of their clash against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

 

RCB Director of Cricket Mo Bobat revealed that skipper Rajat Patidar is showing promising signs of recovery after sustaining a finger injury during the team’s recent match against Chennai Super Kings.

 

"Rajat's going well. He had an injury to his hand, but he's been building up ever so slowly. The disruption in the tournament schedule gave him more time to heal and regain form," said Bobat during the pre-match press conference.

 

Patidar batted in the nets on both Thursday and Friday without a protective splint, which is seen as a positive sign for his availability in the crucial match against KKR.

 

Hazlewood Yet to rejoin squad, recovery being overseen by Cricket Australia 

Meanwhile, Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood remains sidelined due to a shoulder niggle and has not yet rejoined the RCB squad. Bobat confirmed that RCB’s medical team is in constant communication with Cricket Australia for updates on Hazlewood’s condition.

 

"Josh is our only player not here at the moment. He's recovering from his shoulder niggle. Our medical team and their medical teams have been liaising on what that detail looks like, and he's just taking that day by day," Bobat explained.

 

Overseas player exits to impact squad composition 

The rescheduling of the IPL due to Indo-Pak border tensions has also impacted squad planning across franchises. RCB will soon lose the services of Jacob Bethel and Lungi Ngidi due to national commitments.

 

“Once the dates were extended, that created a bit of uncertainty,” Bobat said. “Most of our overseas players were clear they wanted to return and finish the job. But yes, we will lose Jacob Bethel and Lungi Ngidi after a couple of games.”

 

He added that the team is already evaluating potential replacements to reinforce the squad as the tournament progresses. 

 

RCB’s depth to be tested as tournament resumes 

With uncertainty over player availability and fitness, RCB’s bench strength will come under the spotlight. While Patidar’s potential return offers a boost, Hazlewood’s absence and the loss of overseas players pose a strategic challenge for the team in the coming weeks.

 

As the league stage resumes, the Bengaluru franchise will need to adapt quickly to maintain momentum and keep playoff hopes alive.