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The question dominating the build-up to tonight's Southern Derby at the Chinnaswamy is not about team selection or tactics or the pitch report, it is about one man and whether he will finally be ready to take the field.

Josh Hazlewood has been sidelined since late 2025 with hamstring and Achilles injuries, missed the entire Ashes series, was unavailable for the T20 World Cup, and sat out RCB's season opener against SRH last week.

But after what was witnessed at the Chinnaswamy nets on Saturday, the question of whether he plays tonight against CSK has shifted from unlikely to genuinely possible.

Based on the latest reports, Josh Hazlewood is undergoing a final fitness test today and if he clears it without any setbacks, he could walk out for RCB tonight in one of the biggest games of their season.

IPL 2026: What happened at the nets on Saturday ahead of RCB vs CSK clash

According to RevSportz, Josh Hazlewood put in a substantial session at the Chinnaswamy on Saturday that had everyone watching take notice.

He started cautiously with a short run-up, gradually increased his pace and intensity, and eventually completed his full run-up while bowling for close to an hour. He worked through his full range, fuller lengths first, then good-length deliveries, and finally those trademark back-of-a-length balls that made him so lethal during RCB's title-winning 2025 campaign.

Separate footage circulating on social media showed Josh Hazlewood bowling specifically to Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar in the nets, looking smooth, comfortable and from a distance entirely match-ready. It was the kind of session that changes the conversation around a player's availability.

What RCB are saying and what they are not

RCB have been notably quiet about Josh Hazlewood's availability and that silence is itself a talking point. Unlike KKR, who have been actively sharing footage of Cameron Green bowling in their nets, RCB have not released a single clip of Josh Hazlewood in practice.

When Jitesh Sharma was asked about him ahead of the game he offered the most diplomatic of deflections, "Management will give you the right answer on Josh Hazlewood." Head coach Andy Flower had confirmed before the SRH game that Hazlewood was not ready, but that assessment was made a week ago and the picture has changed significantly since then.

The franchise's caution is understandable, they will not want to rush a 35-year-old fast bowler back from a combination of hamstring and Achilles issues for a league stage game if there is any doubt whatsoever. But the signs coming out of the camp are increasingly encouraging.

Also READ: Will Dewald Brevis, MS Dhoni play today's RCB vs CSK game?

The selection headache if Josh Hazlewood is fit

If Josh Hazlewood is cleared to play tonight, RCB face what is genuinely a happy problem. Jacob Duffy had a stellar debut against SRH, taking three wickets for 22 in the powerplay and looking every bit a quality T20 bowler.

Fitting Hazlewood into the XI without disrupting a combination that won RCB their opening game will require either benching Duffy or sacrificing an overseas batting slot currently held by Phil Salt, Tim David or Romario Shepherd. It is not a straightforward call and it speaks to how well RCB have managed the early stages of the tournament despite Hazlewood's absence.

Hazlewood is a maybe trending toward yes but nothing is confirmed until the toss at 7 PM. If he features tonight against CSK it would be a significant boost to an RCB bowling attack that has performed well without him but would be transformed entirely with him.

If the management decide to give him one more week, his return against Rajasthan Royals on April 10 in Guwahati becomes the next target. Keep an eye on the playing XI announcement, if his name is in there, CSK's batting plans will need a very serious rethink.