As the BCCI contemplates resuming IPL 2025 following a suspension of one week, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have suffered a massive setback as their star Josh Hazlewood is unlikely to return for the rest of the tournament.
Notably, most overseas players including RCB’s Hazelwood have left India after the suspension of IPL 2025 on Friday, May 9 for one week following escalation in cross-border tension between India and Pakistan, but the announcement of a ceasefire on May 10 evening have raised the possibility of the league resuming soon.
However, Australian pacer Hazlewood is unlikely to return to India when IPL 2025 resumes due to his injury. The 34-year-old pacer was already nursing a shoulder niggle and had missed RCB’s home clash against Chennai Super Kings on May 3.
According to an ESPNcricinfo report, Hazlewood was a doubtful starter for RCB’s next match against Lucknow Super Giants on May 9 before the tournament was suspended, and the pacer may have missed the remainder of the season even if the tournament had not been interrupted.
The Aussie pacer earlier in the season had said that he had continued a rehab programme during IPL 2025, having returned to fitness from a calf injury and side strain that forced him to miss parts of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (December-January), the Test tour to Sri Lanka, and the Champions Trophy (February-March).
The report added that Cricket Australia (CA) aren’t concerned by Hazlewood’s injury and he’s expected to be picked in the Test squad that will have a conditioning camp in England in the first week of June ahead of the WTC final.
Notably, Hazlewood isn’t the only Australian cricketer whose IPL participation is in question. Pat Cummins and Travis Head, whose team Sunrisers Hyderabad are already out of playoff contention, may opt to remain in Australia to prepare for the WTC final at Lord’s starting June 11.
However, Mitchell Starc’s team – Delhi Capitals are still in the race in fifth place at the moment and he may face a trickier decision, balancing team commitments with national duty.
Notably, Starc was among a large contingent of players who travelled by road and train from Dharamsala to New Delhi after the match between Punjab Kings and DC was abandoned midway on May 8.
Meanwhile, most of the New Zealand contingent has already returned home, while Cricket South Africa is yet to decide whether its players can extend their stay beyond the May 25 NOC deadline. The CSA board is expected to deliberate on this on Sunday, with player safety being paramount.
