The Indian Premier League (IPL 2026) is set to commence on March 28, with the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bangalore, taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad in the tournament's opening match at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. RCB is geared up to defend their title, though they may have to take the field without their premier fast bowler, Josh Hazlewood. Due to injury, the Australian pacer's participation in IPL 2026 remains uncertain. Hazlewood finished the previous season as RCB's leading wicket-taker; he claimed 22 wickets across 12 matches and played a pivotal role in their title-winning campaign.
However, due to hamstring and calf injuries, he has been sidelined since November 2025. He missed out on representing Australia in both the 2025-26 Ashes and the 2026 T20 World Cup, and there is currently no clarity regarding his availability for IPL 2026.
3 Players Who Could Replace Josh Hazlewood in RCB If He Misses IPL 2026
1. Jhye Richardson
29-year-old Australian cricketer Jhye Richardson made headlines during the 2021 IPL when the Punjab Kings acquired him for a whopping ₹14 crore. However, he was not utilized effectively and played in only three matches. Subsequently, the Delhi Capitals signed him in 2024, but he appeared in just a single match for them as well. Nevertheless, Richardson has since improved significantly as a T20 bowler. This tall fast bowler played a pivotal role in the 2025-26 BBL, helping the Perth Scorchers secure their sixth title.
2. Gerald Coetzee
South African fast bowler Gerald Coetzee could also be a viable option. Coetzee captured the attention of the entire world with his stellar performance for South Africa during the 2023 ODI World Cup. Utilizing his pace and precision bowling, he proved himself to be an extremely lethal bowler on Indian pitches. Thanks to this success, he secured his first IPL contract with the Mumbai Indians in 2024. In 2025, he was part of the Gujarat Titans squad. To date, he has taken a total of 15 wickets across 14 IPL matches; however, he failed to find a buyer in the IPL 2026 auction.
Coetzee consistently bowls at speeds ranging from 145 to 150 km/h and is adept at swinging the ball. He could prove to be an excellent choice for adding variety to RCB's fast-bowling attack.
3. Sean Abbott
Australian fast-bowling all-rounder Sean Abbott could be an excellent option for RCB. Much like Hazlewood, he is a bowler who bowls with intensity on the pitch and, thanks to his sturdy physique, is capable of generating significant bounce and pace. Interestingly, he made his IPL debut for RCB back in 2015 and has also played for SRH; however, he hasn't had the opportunity to play many matches.
Nevertheless, he has significantly improved his bowling in recent years—a fact clearly reflected in his statistics from recent franchise league seasons. He is also a member of the Australian T20 International squad and remains an active player in international cricket. He bowls during the powerplay and also proves to be a useful option during the death overs.
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