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As RCB prepare to face Rajasthan Royals in what could be the most compelling fixture of IPL 2026's early phase, one name keeps dominating the conversation around their camp, and it belongs to a man who hasn't even taken the field yet.
Josh Hazlewood's return from a prolonged injury layoff has been the subplot running quietly beneath RCB's unbeaten start. With Guwahati next on the itinerary and a genuine title contender waiting on the other side, the questions around the Australian tearaway are only getting louder.
The report regarding Josh Hazlewood that started it all
It was an reprot RevSportz that first sent Josh Hazlewood's name trending again, a detailed pre-CSK report noting that the pacer had rejoined the squad, completed an hour-long bowling session at the Chinnaswamy on April 4, and was building back steadily after his hamstring and Achilles nightmare.
The report flagged the RR game in Guwahati as a secondary target if Josh Hazlewood didn't make the cut against CSK. As it turned out, he didn't feature against CSK, RCB opted for caution despite the promising session, and the goalposts have quietly shifted since
Why Jacob Duffy has made this decision easy for RCB
The reason the selection conversation around Josh Hazlewood is genuinely complicated is Jacob Duffy.
The New Zealander has been nothing short of outstanding, five wickets across two games and the kind of groove that makes a coach extremely reluctant to disturb what's working.
When RCB posted 250 against CSK and dismantled them by 43 runs without their Australian spearhead, the case for shaking up the combination became even harder to justify.
RCB's management, already treading carefully given the severity of Josh Hazlewood's layoff, now has the added comfort of a bowling unit that simply isn't asking to be rescued. Duffy's form hasn't just filled the gap, it has made the gap almost invisible.
RR vs RCB: The 'Cricket Australia' factor nobody is talking about
What makes this more than just a standard fitness update is the presence of Cricket Australia in the background as RCB's director of cricket, Mo Bopat discussed before the start of 2026 edition.
RCB are not making this call alone, CA's close monitoring of Josh Hazlewood's recovery means the franchise is effectively co-managing their marquee overseas bowler with a national board operating thousands of kilometres away.
The shared priority, clearly understood by all parties, is protecting his availability for the tournament's latter stages rather than burning overs in April group games, however high-profile they may be. It is the kind of arrangement that rarely gets spoken about openly but shapes every decision that comes out of the camp when his name comes up.
Why April 12 against Mumbai Indians could be the real moment to watch
If there is a date that makes more strategic sense for those tracking Josh Hazlewood's return, it may well be April 12, RCB's home fixture against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede
Josh Hazlewood is reportedly bowling at full intensity in the Guwahati nets, which means another few days of rhythm-building before a return to his home ground, against a familiar opponent, in front of a crowd that has been waiting for this moment all season.
That timeline aligns far more naturally with the phased approach RCB and CA appear to have agreed upon. Nothing is confirmed regarding Josh Hazlewood,and the franchise will predictably offer carefully worded non-answers at every press conference between now and then.
