For months, a phase of uncertainty was seen in the RCB camp regarding the status of a key player. That uncertainty finally broke today as Australian star pacer Josh Hazelwood touched down in India.
Hazelwood officially arrived in India on March 26, 2026. The franchise quickly confirmed the news through its official social media channels. They posted a series of creative teasers, including a “L̶o̶s̶t̶ Found!” image and a video heralding the return of their “Silent Assassin.”
The fast bowler has not played competitive cricket since November 2025. He suffered a severe hamstring injury with associated Achilles tendon complications during a Sheffield Shield match for New South Wales. This physical setback pushed him to miss major international fixtures, including the Ashes series and the T20 World Cup.
Despite being with the squad, Hazelwood is expected to miss the initial phase of the IPL. RCB begins their campaign on March 28 against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Multiple reports strongly suggest he will miss the first two fixtures. His absence might even extend until mid-April, with a return around the Mumbai Indians match on April 12.
RCB Director of Cricket Mo Bobat addressed this delicate situation just two days prior, on March 24, during a pre-tournament press conference. Bobat stated, “As most people would know, Josh has missed quite a bit of cricket recently with injuries. He’s currently working through a return-to-play programme in Australia, and we are liaising closely with Cricket Australia and our medical teams on a daily basis. We’ll continue to communicate with them, and as soon as he gets to a point where Cricket Australia are happy, he’ll come over, and we hope to have him with us very soon.”
L̶o̶s̶t̶ Found! 🤔🤔 pic.twitter.com/dErAKFMmPk
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) March 26, 2026
Why Hazelwood’s Return Could Be a Game-Changer for RCB
Hazelwood was the undisputed cornerstone of RCB’s historic maiden IPL title campaign in 2025, which ended an 18-year wait for the franchise.
He was statistically dominant last year. He finished as the team’s leading wicket-taker and the fourth-highest overall in the tournament, taking 21 wickets. He maintained a brilliant and tight economy rate of 8.30, with the best figures of 4/33. His phenomenal big-match performances earned him the fan nickname “Hazelgod.”
This steady presence complemented the rest of the bowling unit perfectly and helped Virat Kohli finally lift his long-awaited IPL trophy.
Former Australian captain Michael Clarke noted that even a delayed, mid-season return could provide a huge boost during the business end of the tournament.
When paired with the existing bowling unit, which includes players like Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the RCB attack looks lethal and perfectly balanced for both home and away conditions.
Final medical clearance from Cricket Australia remains the only hurdle before he steps onto the field. If he stays fit and gets the green light, Hazelwood could once again be the decisive factor in RCB’s quest to defend their hard-earned title.
