Reports: Injury clouds Josh Hazlewood's IPL return if tournament resumes

Popular IPL (Indian Premier League) franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have had a great season before the suspension of the Indian Premier League due to the border tensions. One of the key players for the Men in Red is the Aussie star pacer, Josh Hazlewood, who was the highest wicket-taker for the franchise and had been delivering incredible performances.

However, recent reports have suggested that his return might be unlikely, given the situation between the two nations. It seems to be tougher for Hazlewood, who had a niggle in his shoulder during the season. This was the reason the 34-year-old missed the last game against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), and his availability for the game against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) was looking doubtful as well.

The border tensions have already made it challenging for foreign players to return to the tournament, and with Hazlewood facing an injury, his comeback after the potential resumption of the IPL 2025 seems even tougher this season. As per ESPN Cricinfo, It has also been mentioned that some foreign players have already taken flights back home after the one-week suspension. This would be a huge setback for the Bengaluru franchise, which might lose one of its in-form players at a crucial stage in the global league.

Hazlewood's WTC chances

This news has led to questions being raised about Hazlewood’s participation in the WTC final, which will be played against South Africa at Lord's. Hazlewood had already missed out on the Border-Gavaskar Trophy due to a calf strain, which ruled him out for the rest of the series, and he had to go through a long rehabilitation process to get back to fitness for the tournament.

However, Cricket Australia (CA) has made a statement saying they are not concerned about Hazlewood’s injury. He is expected to be picked for the Test match and will be joining the conditioning camps, which are set to begin in the first week of June.