Big Blow to RCB and DC! Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc Likely to Miss Remaining IPL 2025
Josh Hazlewood was the top performer for RCB.
As the BCCI prepares to resume IPL 2025 later this month, a fresh headache is brewing for some franchises – the possible unavailability of their overseas stars, including Australia’s Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins.
The board is eyeing a restart in May, once they get the green signal from the Indian government. Matches are likely to shift to the southern cities of Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. These three venues have been shortlisted to complete the 12 remaining league matches and the four playoff games.
Now, as plans for the restart take shape, team camps are already worried about the availability of foreign players. Australia and South Africa are set to clash in the World Test Championship (WTC) final from June 11. And several key players from both teams are deeply involved in the IPL playoff race.
Right now, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Delhi Capitals (DC) look set to suffer the most. Their leading bowlers — Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc — are serious doubts to rejoin their IPL sides.
Both are part of their national Test squads and are expected to begin preparations soon for the WTC final. Pat Cummins, who leads Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), is also in a similar spot.
Hazlewood has been RCB’s best bowler this season, grabbing 18 wickets in just 10 matches. RCB already had to play one match without him, where Lungi Ngidi stepped in and impressed with figures of 3/30 in 4 overs against Chennai Super Kings in a high-scoring game.
For Delhi Capitals, Mitchell Starc and Tristan Stubbs have played pivotal roles. Starc’s form has directly impacted DC’s results — he has taken 11 wickets in six innings during their wins but only 3 wickets in four games they lost.
Stubbs’ performance also tells a similar story: he scored 151 runs in five innings in their victories but only 67 runs in four matches they lost.
