Josh Hazelwood boost for RCB in IPL 2025, Mitchell Starc to Miss Staging Season: Report

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) got a major boost as a report confirmed Josh Hazelwood’s wish to return to the franchise for the remaining Indian Premier League (IPL) season. However, not immediately, Hazelwood is ready to re -include his comrades in May for some time, as the season extends till June 03 due to a recent military conflict between India and Pakistan. Earlier, it was said that Hazelwood is taking a injury that would not allow him to re -include RCB as the season resumes on 17 May. But a lot has changed in the last few days.

“Josh is preparing to come to India by the end of last week (May) last week (May). It will be available for the franchise for the playoffs,” Hindustan Times quoted a source as saying.

There has also been a dilemma on the availability of Mitchell Starc for the remaining season. Starc has not yet officially confirmed whether it will re -connect Delhi’s capitals for the remaining IPL 2025 matches. The franchise has already signed a left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman, who is a replacement to open batsman Jake-Fresher McGark, who has confirmed his unavailable to the rest of the campaign.

Now, the franchise has allegedly learned that the Starc will not be back.

“Stark has informed DC management that he is not coming back. The franchise has accepted his decision.”

The BCCI said on Monday that it has decided to resume the league after organizing comprehensive consultation and receiving necessary approval from the government, which is originally pushed from 25 May to the last June 3 from June 3.

The revised schedule leaves a little turnaround time for Australian and South African players, deciding to participate in the IPL play-off for the preparation of the World Test Championship (WTC) final, which starts from Lord’s from June 11.

BCCI, in a bid to combat the situation, is allowed to sign temporary replacement.

With PTI input