Phil Salt is expected to return to India later this week after spending about a month on the sidelines of the IPL due to a finger injury, with the England opener set to rejoin Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
Salt sustained the problem on his left hand during RCB’s match against Delhi Capitals on April 18. While diving to stop a ball on the boundary, he damaged a finger and has not played since. After the injury, he flew back home last month to be with his young family while the finger recovered.
With Salt missing, RCB have already booked their spot in the playoffs. They are also in a strong position to finish in the top two and play Qualifier 1 in Dharamsala next Tuesday, provided there is no significant swing in their Net Run Rate. Whether Salt will be fit in time for RCB’s final league game against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday remains uncertain, but the franchise is unlikely to take chances so close to the knockout stage.
During Salt’s absence, Jacob Bethell has filled in at the top alongside Virat Kohli. Over the last month, Bethell has struggled to consistently contribute, managing 96 runs across seven innings, with a highest score of 27. Even if Salt is not available on Friday, Bethell’s spot could face added pressure following Venkatesh Iyer’s impact in the team’s win over Punjab Kings in Dharamsala on Sunday.
Iyer made 73 not out in that victory, and his performance has created further selection questions for RCB’s top order. He was also part of the reshuffle after Rajat Patidar missed the trip to Dharamsala following an incident in the previous week: Patidar was struck on the helmet by a sharp bouncer from Kolkata Knight Riders’ Kartik Tyagi. Jitesh Sharma, who led the side in Patidar’s absence, said after the win that the batter was “doing really well” and indicated he would return for the match in Hyderabad on Friday, setting up a potential dilemma for the team’s line-up.
