Josh Hazlewood was not included in the starting lineup for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their IPL 2025 match against Lucknow Super Giants in Lucknow on Tuesday. His return to RCB was highly anticipated, but captain Jitesh Sharma confirmed during the toss that the Australian would not be playing in the game. Jitesh mentioned that Hazlewood is expected to return to the lineup for RCB’s next game.
Hazlewood had returned home during IPL’s week-long suspension earlier in the month due to a shoulder injury and only rejoined the team on Sunday. He has missed three RCB games, including a washout, since his last appearance on April 27 in Delhi.
Despite Hazlewood’s absence, the Royal Challengers have already secured a spot in the Playoffs and are aiming for a top two finish in the Points Table. If RCB wins the game against Lucknow Super Giants, they will face Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1 on May 29. If they lose, they will play against Mumbai Indians in the Eliminator the following day. Both matches will take place in New Chandigarh.
Overall, Hazlewood’s absence in the match against Lucknow Super Giants was notable, but RCB remains focused on their goal of securing a strong finish in the IPL 2025 season.
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