Good News For RCB Fans! 6 Overseas Stars Join Squad Ahead Of Second Leg Of IPL 2025

Bengaluru: Amid questions over availability of foreign players for the second leg of IPL 2025, Royal Challengers Bengaluru have managed to recall their four overseas players in the likes of Phil Salt, Jacob Bethell, Liam Livingstone and Lungi Ngidi have joined Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) squad ahead of the second leg of IPL 2025.

Bethell will be available for RCB's next two fixtures, but will fly home before their final group match in Lucknow as he needs to report to Birmingham ahead of the first ODI at Edgbaston. Phil Salt might stay for all the remaining matches with T20I series. Australian Tim David, Sri Lanka's Nuwan Thushara and Englishmen Liam Livingstone will stay for the entire second phase while Josh Hazlewood's availability is yet unconfirmed. However, the official statement is still awaited from the franchise.

After the one week suspension of the IPL 2025, there were concerns over the avalaibilty of overseas players of RCB for the rearranged schedule due to national duties. Phil Salt has been named in Engand's T20I squad against West Indies while Jacob Bethell was included in both T20Is and ODIs. All-rounder Romario Shepherd, who scored a joint second fastest fifty of IPL history against CSK, was also under the radar due to the same series. There was a question over Pacer Lungi Ngidi's availability as well because South Africa are scheduled to square off against defending champions Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) final from June 11.

RCB have looked a different beast altogether with a different player stepping up to the cause to help their side win matches. RCB have received a great contributions from their overseas picks with Salt scoring 239 runs in 9 innings, Bethell amassing 67 runs in 2 innings that includes a fifty, 186 runs in 11 matches at an average of 93.00 and strike rate of 193.75. In the bowling front, Hazlewood was the leading wicket-taker of the season until he missed a match against CSK due to injury. Hazlewood picked up 18 wickets in 10 games at an impressive average of 17.28 and at an economy of 8.44 despite bowling in both powerplay and death overs.

Hence, RCB would want all their remaining rejoin the squad as they looked very balanced side. With Virat Kohli playing an anchor role while others aiming to go big. RCB's Bhuvaneshwar Kumar and Hazlewood's pair is the most economical in powerplay so far this season with Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma playing their parts exceptionally well.

RCB are currently placed second in the points table with 16 points from 11 matches. They need atleast one more win to qualify for the playoffs.