IPL 2025: 3 Reasons Why Josh Hazlewood Will Be RCB's Biggest Trump Card

Anurag Dasgupta

Hazlewood will be RCB's trump card [Source: @IPL/X.Com] Hazlewood will be RCB's trump card [Source: @IPL/X.Com]

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The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have had some shrewd buys in the mega auction and have invested their money wisely this time around. Unlike previous years, they haven't gone after superstar signings, but have tried and fixed the loopholes they had last season.

One of their best buys in the mega auction was Australia's Josh Hazlewood. The pace bowler previously represented the Red Army and was successful in his first stint. This time around, he'll be gunning for glory and it won't be an understatement to say that he will be their trump card for the upcoming season.

Here are 3 reasons why we feel that Josh Hazlewood is the missing piece and could take RCB to glory.

3) A wicket-taker at the top

A problem that persisted with RCB has been their inability to take wickets at the top. With the arrival of Hazlewood that problem will be solved to some extend. He can swing the ball both ways and has the knack of picking up early wickets, something which will benefit the RCB team.

In T20s, power-play is the most crucial phase, and if you pick wickets in that phase, the opposition team will be under pressure. Hazlewood can fulfil the role to destroy the opposition inside the first 6 overs.

2) He is brilliant in the death overs as well

The Aussie speedster doesn't have the express pace, but he makes it up with his accurate lines, lengths and exceptional skills. In the 2022 season, he scalped 8 wickets in 11 matches, and had a dot percentage of 39.1 in the slog overs.

The Aussie pacer has a brilliant yorker and can utilise it to trouble the opposition batters. Despite playing at a smaller ground of Chinnaswamy Stadium, he has excelled in his role in the past.

1) Impeccable IPL record

For a bowler not known for his T20 exploits, Hazlewood has gone under the radar in the IPL. In 27 games for CSK and RCB, he has scalped 35 wickets, at 23.24, but what's impressive is his economy of just 8.06.

Majority of the times he gets his lines and lengths correct right from ball one and the batters generally find it hard to take him down.