Bengaluru: Josh Hazlewood Returns to Form for Royal Challengers Bangalore
Josh Hazlewood made his return to the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) lineup after missing the first three matches of the season. He played a key role against Rajasthan Royals, taking two wickets; however, RCB faced a six-wicket defeat. In a notable decision, Hazlewood was excluded from the squad in the subsequent high-profile match against Mumbai Indians, allowing Jacob Duffy to take his place. Duffy’s stint was short-lived, as Hazlewood returned for the next game against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
Concerns about Hazlewood’s fitness and workload management for the remainder of the IPL season have surfaced. Following the match against LSG, the 35-year-old expressed optimism about his ability to participate in the remaining games, citing a favorable schedule for RCB. “The plan is to hopefully keep playing. Our schedule is pretty good from here on in, so fingers crossed I can keep playing,” Hazlewood stated during the post-match presentation.
In his latest outing against LSG, Hazlewood was awarded Player of the Match (POTM) for his exceptional performance. He excelled during the powerplay, claiming the wicket of the formidable Nicholas Pooran and conceding only 20 runs in his four overs. LSG managed to score just 146 runs in their innings.
RCB successfully chased down the target with 29 balls to spare, bolstered by Virat Kohli’s impressive 49 runs and crucial contributions from Rajat Patidar and Devdutt Padikkal. Romario Shepherd and Tim David ultimately sealed the victory for RCB, leading them to the top of the points table, while LSG fell to seventh place, remaining ahead of Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, and Kolkata Knight Riders.
After the match, Hazlewood acknowledged his previous performance against Rajasthan, where he felt out of rhythm, but noted his improved form against LSG. “It’s been a bit of a long road the last few months, but yeah, got the rust out, I guess, last game against Rajasthan. Felt much better today and the rhythm feels in good shape,” he remarked.
