The recent suspension of the IPL gave RCB captain Rajat Patidar much-needed time to recover from a hand injury, with RCB’s team director, Mo Bobat, confirming his progress. Patidar practiced in the nets for nearly 30 minutes without discomfort, showing promising signs for the upcoming match against Kolkata Knight Riders.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru have had a commendable season thus far, sitting second on the points table with an identical 16 points as leaders Gujarat Titans. A single victory would secure their playoff spot. Bobat shared that their overseas players were eager to return post-suspension, committed to ‘finish the job’, ahead of this weekend’s clash against KKR.
“Most of our overseas players were quite keen on returning as soon as possible,” Bobat stated. “Our season’s been impressive, and they want to see it through to completion.”
Reassembling squads has been a task for all teams due to the abrupt break. RCB has managed to recall all overseas players except Josh Hazlewood, dealing with a shoulder issue. Hazlewood’s recovery is ongoing, in coordination with both RCB and Cricket Australia’s medical teams.
“Josh is our only player missing at the moment,” Bobat explained. “He’s working on his shoulder recovery on a daily basis. Hopefully, things will improve soon.”
Regarding Patidar’s condition, Bobat noted, “The break allowed Rajat a few more days for initial healing, reducing swelling and getting comfortable with the bat again. He’s been looking sharp in practice.”
RCB may field a near-full squad for upcoming matches, but potential changes loom as playoffs approach. Jacob Bethell is scheduled to join England’s squad for the West Indies ODIs, and Lungi Ngidi is part of South Africa’s World Test Championship final team, which may impact RCB’s lineup towards the season’s end.
“We’ll lose Bethell and Lungi soon, having an obvious impact,” admitted Bobat. “Fortunately, we have [Nuwan] Thushara and Rasikh Dar in the squad, providing us with solid options. We’re exploring possible replacements and monitoring the situation closely, like many teams.”
As the IPL resumes on Saturday, RCB looks to secure their spot in the playoffs, armed with a refreshed squad and strategic planning.
