IPL 2026: Jitesh Sharma provides an update on Josh Hazlewood's fitness

RCB pacer Josh Hazlewood celebrates the wicket of LSG’s Nicholas Pooran. Pics/IPL

Josh Hazlewood's much-anticipated first game of the season for reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru didn't go to plan as the Australian pacer was taken to the cleaners by Rajasthan Royals's 15-year-old wunderkind, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

Hazlewood nicked off Yashasvi Jaiswal in his first over but Sooryavanshi hammered him for three fours and a six off successive deliveries to headline Rajasthan's six-wicket victory a week back. On Wednesday at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Hazlewood was back at his metronomic best, challenging Lucknow Super Giants's top order and potentially putting Rishabh Pant out of action for a little while.

Jitesh Sharma

Such was Hazlewood's control and threat quotient on a tacky surface that Rajat Patidar used three of the 35-year-old's overs up front. And even though Hazlewood took only one wicket, figures of 1-20 - and a blow to Pant's left elbow that forced the LSG skipper to temporarily retire hurt and prevented him from keeping wickets - were enough to bag the Player of the Match award after his team's five-wicket romp, its fourth win in five games. "I felt much better today, in good shape," acknowledged Hazlewood, who had gone for 44 against Rajasthan. "It was a slow wicket, I just had to whack that length. The plan is hopefully to keep playing. The schedule is pretty good from here on, so I should be okay to keep playing."

RCB's wicket-taking heroes were Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3-27) and Rasikh Salam (4-24) but clearly, the tone was set by Hazlewood, whose 22 wickets were hugely influential in last season's title run. "He is looking more sharp," remarked Jitesh Sharma, the RCB wicket-keeper and vice-captain, of the bowling spearhead's return to action after five months on the sidelines recovering from persistent Achilles and hamstring injuries. "His body has got rest. He has become fitter, and he is very confident about his body now. He is a more improved player than last year. It was a slow track, but he bowled quick."

Five
Consecutive matches won by RCB in Bengaluru since 2025