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Padikkal Out; Salt And Hazlewood To Return: RCB's Strongest XI For Remainder Of IPL 2025

Aashay Chopade

Josh Hazlewood and Virat Kohli in IPL 2025 (Source: AP Photos)Josh Hazlewood and Virat Kohli in IPL 2025 (Source: AP Photos)

The IPL 2025 is now into its business end, and one of the top teams this season is RCB. They have won eight of their 11 matches this season, and have 16 points in their kitty, just a win away from officially qualifying for the playoffs. However, one of their key assets, Devdutt Padikkal, has been ruled out of the tournament due to a hamstring injury and it is a big blow to the franchise.

Devdutt Padikkal's Injury Might Force RCB To Change Winning Combination

Padikkal played crucial knocks in IPL 2025, scoring 247 runs in 10 innings at a strike-rate of 150.60. Now, Mayank Aggarwal has been named as his official replacement, but it would be interesting to see who will bat at number 3 for RCB in the remainder of IPL 2025. Thus, keeping in mind Padikkal's unavailability, here is RCB's strongest playing XI for the remainder of IPL 2025.

Phil Salt In IPL 2025

Criterion
Data
Innings9
Runs239
Average26.55
Strike-Rate168.30
100s/50s0/2

Jacob Bethell has done well in the two matches he has played so far, scoring fifty in the game against CSK. However, Phil Salt is likely to be fit for the next game against LSG and with the kind of impact he has made this season, Jacob Bethell might have to leave the opening position. However, he can come in at three or four if RCB are looking for a solid option in top four in the absence of Devdutt Padikkal. Bethell is naturally a middle order batter, so a move down the order might not be a problem for him.

Bethell Likely To Bat At Four, Romario Shepherd Misses Out

Padikkal's absence also gives Rajat Patidar a chance to bat at his favourite number 3 position. However, if Bethell bats at four, Romario Shepherd would likely miss out. The Caribbean star smashed a 13-ball fifty in the last game against CSK, but RCB already have Tim David, the finisher, in their line-up. He would also leave IPL after the league stage due to national duty, and thus having Bethell in RCB's strongest squad makes sense.

Rajat Patidar At Number 3 In IPL

Criterion
Data
Innings14
Runs476
Average36.62
Strike-Rate144.24
100s/50s1/2

Manoj Bhandage can be used as lower order batter because of his proven finishing skills in domestic cricket, while Swapnil Singh is another all-round option.

If RCB want to keep Romario Shepherd in their playing XI, then Bethell will miss out and Swastik Chikara could get into the XI. Rest of the batting line-up would remain same while Josh Hazlewood will comeback in the place of Lungi Ngidi after missing the CSK game. Rest of the bowlers like Krunal Pandya, Yash Dayal, Suyash Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar all have done well. Thus, apart from a couple of tactical tweaks, RCB are likely to go with the same personnel that have produced positive results for them this season.

RCB's Strongest XI For Remainder Of IPL 2025

Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Jacob Bethell, Jitesh Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Tim David,Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma

Impact Player - Manoj Bhandage