IPL 2026: Josh Hazlewood set to miss initial few games for RCB

Australian star fast bowler Josh Hazlewood is set to miss the initial rounds of the Indian Premier League 2026 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, as Cricket Australia is priortising the workload of their fast bowlers with a packed international calendar coming up.

Hazlewood joins Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc in missing the initial stages of the 2026 season, with the former still recovering from a lumbar stress issue and the latter being rested for workload management. Meanwhile, Nathan Ellis and Jack Edwards have been ruled out of the 2026 season altogether, with a hamstring issue and a foot injury, respectively.

According to ESPNcricinfo, Hazlewood follows a trend of either fully missing or missing the initial rounds of the tournament. Notably, the pacer was a vital part of defending champions RCB romping to their maiden title in 2025. The spearhead bowler picked up 22 wickets in 12 games, at an impressive average of 17.55. He was the de facto leader of their bowling attacks, bowling vital overs in all phases of the innings.

Cricket Australia are taking caution with their bowling group, as they play 21 tests in a 12-month period before the 2027 ODI World Cup, where they will be defending their crown. Important tours to South Africa, India and England would mean Australia will need their fast bowlers at their best if they are to end up with favourable results on these tours.

Hazlewood has suffered from multiple Achilles, ankle and calf issues, with his last appearance coming in the Sheffield Shield for New South Wales in November 2025. His last international appearance came against India in a T20I on October 31, 2025. Hazlewood missed the entirety of the 2025-26 Men’s Ashes, which Australia won comfortably with a score of 4-1, and the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which saw Australia eliminated in the group stages in a dismal showing.

For the unversed, RCB start their title defence against the Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on March 28, as the tournament opener gets the IPL 2026 going. The Rajat Patidar-led side will hope that he is available for the latter stages of the tournament to make a strong case for retaining the prized silverware.