RCB sweat over injuries, uncertainty over key foreign recruits

Bengaluru: Perhaps for the first time in the history of the Indian Premier League, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru looked like a team that had finally figured things out -- a side that could take them to the promised land. Their batting line-up ran deep and bowling attack dynamic and adaptable: both units combined seamlessly to take them to the verge of qualification for play-offs.

The one-week suspension due to India-Pakistan military stand-off at the western border, however, threatens to throw their well-settled unit into a disarray owing to a combination of injuries and uncertainty of a few but key foreign players. 

RCB have already lost the services of an in-form batter Devdutt Padikkal to injury. And while they have a replacement in Mayank Agarwal, the finger injury to skipper Rajat Patidar is giving them a headache. Patidar has been decent with the bat this season and has effortlessly slipped into the captain's role in a star-studded team.

While communication to RCB officials didn't elicit any response on their players' status, the one-week break may have given some healing time for the Madhya Pradesh batter. The extent of the injury remains unclear at the moment though. In case Patidar fails to return from May 17, when RCB take on KKR in Bengaluru, either wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma or Krunal Pandya, who has been one of their key cogs in this campaign, could helm the side.  

Among their foreign recruits, Josh Hazlewood has been their bowling trump card with a few match-winning spells. His availability for the remainder of the series hangs in balance with reports emanating from Australia suggesting that the pacer, who skipped RCB's last match against CSK due to a shoulder injury, was reluctant to return. With Australia's World Test Championship final against South Africa scheduled to start on June 11 in London and the revised IPL set for June 3 finish, will he and Cricket Australia take chance with his injury given the short turn-around time between the two events.

Phil Salt and Jacob Bethel, both of whom have manned the opener's slot with adroitness, were picked in England's white-ball squad for their home series (three ODIs and as many T20Is) against West Indies from May 29 -- the day IPL play-offs resume -- raising a question mark over their availability.  

In a good news, however, as ECB spokesman, according to reports from England, indicated that the English board was willing to accommodate IPL's requirements. 

Josh Hazlewood 

"We're keen to support the IPL and the BCCI in getting the schedule up and running, and to facilitate players' return should they choose to go back," the spokesman said.

"No objection certificates have been granted based on the original IPL dates, so we'll need to review any potential extensions, particularly in relation to any clash with the final white-ball squad. We'll continue to work closely with the BCCI and the IPL as the situation develops."

Same goes with West Indies all-rounder Romario Shepherd, who struck a sensational 14-ball 50 against CSK, and South Africa pacer Lungi Ngidi, who has been picked for the WTC final.