BIG Blow for RCB as THIS Australia Cricketer Likely to MISS IPL 2023

IPL

The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) are one of the most popular franchises in the Indian Premier League (IPL), and their fans are eagerly awaiting the start of the 16th season of the tournament. However, the team is currently facing some challenges, as their star player Glenn Maxwell has been ruled out due to an injury, and now their key pacer Josh Hazlewood is also set to miss a few matches due to his Achilles injury.

@sboland24 , Josh Hazelwood and Ashton Agar in the nets of Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi. pic.twitter.com/2zkc83vj3v

— Naman Sharma (@sharmanaman26) February 19, 2023

“Just a bit of workload management at the moment. Just managing the Achilles. I was bowling a fair bit leading into the tour at home and sort of just pushing up against it,” Hazlewood said. “Probably wasn’t recovering as well as I would have liked between each session, so thought we’d give it a few days here straight off the bat and try and get over the hump and have a bowl from Tuesday on (in Nagpur) and hope it goes well.”

Hazlewood's absence is a significant blow to the team, as he is their most consistent bowler in power play and death overs. The Australian fast bowler has been a valuable asset for RCB, taking 20 wickets in the 2022 IPL season, making him the team's second-best bowler behind Wanindu Hasaranga. Hazlewood is also known for his economical bowling in the power play, conceding less than seven runs per over. He is the leader of the RCB attack and the highest wicket-taker in the power play.

Hazlewood's injury has come at a critical time for RCB, as they are set to face some tough competition in the upcoming season. The team is hoping that he will recover in time to play their first match against Mumbai Indians on April 2. However, it remains unclear whether he will be able to do so. In addition to missing the IPL, Hazlewood has also been ruled out of the three-match ODI series against India, which starts on March 17. The Australian pacer was initially only ruled out of the first Test against India, but his Achilles became a significant issue, prompting the team management to send him back home for treatment.

On a positive note, Glenn Maxwell has been selected for the ODI series against India, and if he proves his fitness in these games, he could play a full IPL season for RCB without missing any matches. Maxwell's presence in the team will be crucial, as he is known for his explosive batting and versatile all-round skills. Royal Challengers Bangalore are facing some challenges ahead of the 16th season of the Indian Premier League. Hazlewood's injury is a significant blow to the team, but they are hoping that he will recover in time to play in the tournament. The team will need to rely on their other bowlers to step up in his absence and ensure that they remain competitive throughout the season.