On Friday, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) faced a tough loss in their bid for a top-two finish in IPL 2025, as they fell to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 42 runs. Chasing a hefty target of 232 runs, RCB could only manage 189, marking their fourth defeat and pushing them down to third place in the standings. With their final game coming up, here are three things RCB needs to watch out for before the playoffs.
1. Josh Hazlewood’s Fitness
Josh Hazlewood has been a key player for RCB’s bowling in IPL 2025. The Australian fast bowler, bought for INR 12.50 Crores, took 18 wickets in 10 innings with a great strike rate. Unfortunately, a shoulder injury disrupted his season. He’s currently recovering in Brisbane and is expected to rejoin RCB for the playoffs. However, it often takes bowlers a bit longer to regain their full form after an injury. If Hazlewood isn’t back to his best, it could hurt RCB’s chances in the playoffs, especially since other bowlers like Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Yash Dayal struggled without him.
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2. Rajat Patidar’s Struggling Form
RCB captain Rajat Patidar hasn’t been performing well this season. After starting off strong with some good fifties against MI and CSK, his performance has dropped. In his last seven innings, he scored just 96 runs at an average of 13.71. He’s had opportunities but hasn’t been able to turn them into bigger scores. Plus, a finger injury kept him from leading the team against SRH, which raises concerns about his contribution if he doesn’t get back in form soon.
Read Also:- Rajat Patidar Likely to Miss Few Matches for RCB Amid IPL 2025
3. Padikkal’s Injury and the Number 3 Issue
Devdutt Padikkal was a major asset for RCB before a finger injury sidelined him. He had been consistent at the number three spot, building strong partnerships with Virat Kohli. Before his injury, he scored 247 runs at an average of 27.44 and a strike rate of 150.61. Now that he’s out, RCB has had to bring in Mayank Agarwal, who didn’t perform well last season. If Agarwal can’t step up quickly, RCB will miss Padikkal’s skills, as he has been crucial for creating solid starts for the lower order.
