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Karthik Drops Big Hint On Hazlewood And Salt’s RCB Comeback Ahead Of LSG Clash

Aakash Saini

Josh Hazlewood and Phil Salt [Source: @hajarkagalwa, @academy_dinda/x]Josh Hazlewood and Phil Salt [Source: @hajarkagalwa, @academy_dinda/x]

RCB overcame Chennai Super Kings by two runs in a high-scoring thriller at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru in match 52 of the IPL 2025 season. The outcome marked RCB’s eighth win of the season and fourth in succession as they moved to the top of the 10-team points table.

Notably, RCB pipped CSK without the services of leading wicket-taker Josh Hazlewood and in-form English batter Phil Salt. Shortly after the win, RCB mentor and former Indian wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik dropped a major hint on the likely return of the two overseas cricketers.

Karthik drops hint on Hazlewood and Salt’s return

While speaking with Shane Watson on the Star Sports network after the match against CSK, RCB mentor Dinesh Karthik stated that he was hopeful of the return of Josh Hazlewood and Phil Salt ahead of their team’s next IPL 2025 match against the LSG.

Karthik said:

“We're hopeful to have Josh Hazlewood and Phil Salt back from the next game.”

It is worth noting that Josh Hazlewood has emerged as RCB’s leading wicket-taker, and the second highest overall of the IPL 2025 season with 18 wickets from 10 matches at an impressive bowling average of 17.27. However, the speedster was dropped by RCB captain Rajat Patidar from the match against CSK owing to a shoulder niggle.

Phil Salt, on the other hand, developed an illness earlier this month and is still in the recovery process. The attacking English batter has charted 239 runs in nine innings of the season at an astonishing batting strike rate of nearly 170.

Under the leadership of Rajat Patidar, the RCB franchise will now face Lucknow Super Giants in match number 59 of the IPL 2025 season at Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium on Friday, May 9. The team is currently ranked at the top of the IPL 2025 points table with eight wins and just three defeats from 11 matches.