Josh Hazlewood has expressed his interest in returning to India during the playoffs, while Mitchell Starc has announced that he will not be coming back.
Initially, it was announced that Josh Hazlewood would not return to India for the remainder of the IPL season due to workload management, as he was selected for the WTC finals against South Africa.
The Australian seamer, who left India with a minor shoulder injury, has been nursing it and is expected to recover soon. He has announced his interest in joining Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) during the playoffs if they qualify for the knockouts.
However, the final decision rests with Cricket Australia, which will discuss the situation with him next week. Given that his shoulder injury is not serious, Cricket Australia is expected to make a decision on whether to allow Hazlewood's return while considering his workload management.
The potential return of Josh Hazlewood is great news for RCB fans, as he has had a significant impact this season as their top wicket-taker, excelling both with the new ball and in the death overs. Nevertheless, missing him during the league stages is a big blow for RCB, especially since they still need to secure a playoff spot with three matches remaining and currently sit on 16 points in the IPL 2025 Points table.
Mitchell Starc Confirms Unavailability for Delhi Capitals
Meanwhile, Mitchell Starc has informed the Delhi Capitals camp that he will not be returning, citing security concerns. The former IPL winner will lose out on half a million dollars in salary due to missing the remainder of the season. Jake Fraser-McGurk has also stated that he will not be joining the squad, and the Delhi Capitals have signed Mustafizur Rahman, though there are still issues with the No Objection Certificate (NOC), casting doubt on his joining the team. Delhi Capitals have yet to announce a replacement for Mitchell Starc.
Jos Inglish, a player for Punjab Kings, has not yet confirmed his availability for the remainder of the IPL season.
Phase two of the IPL 2025 begins on May 17, 2025, with Royal Challengers Bangalore facing off against Kolkata Knight Riders at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Stay tuned for the exciting IPL action!
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