RCB opener Phil Salt set to return to IPL later this week
The 2026 IPL is in full swing, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru will have a major boost. England’s explosive RCB opener Phil Salt set to return to IPL later this week. This turn of events is a breath of fresh air for a team that has already secured a playoff spot and is focused on Qualifier 1.
RCB opener Phil Salt set to return to IPL later this week: how he got injured
The injury occurred on April 18 in a match against Delhi Capitals. Salt took an awkward dive near the boundary while trying to save several runs and injured a finger on his left hand. Since then, he has not taken to the field, flying home to England to recover and spend time with his family. And now, a return is near: RCB opener Phil Salt set to return to IPL later this week.
The main question hanging in the air right now is whether Salt will be ready for the final group stage match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 22. There’s no answer yet. Neither the club nor the player himself give 100% guarantees. Perhaps the coaching staff will save their leader for the decisive games, as the playoffs are much more important than one run-of-the-mill match in Hyderabad.
RCB opener Phil Salt set to return to IPL later this week: statistics
Before the injury, Salt was going all out. In just six matches, he had scored 202 runs at an average of 33.67, two half-centuries, and a 46. Under his batting, RCB showed a powerful game in the opening overs, and the tandem with Virat Kohli looked almost the most dangerous in the tournament.
While Salt was recovering from his finger, his young compatriot Jacob Bethell filled in for him in the opening position. The athlete tries hard, but the result is modest. Seven games, 96 runs, and an average of 13.71. This is clearly not enough for a team aiming to become champions. The situation is critical: If Salt doesn’t recover by Friday, Bethell will be back in action alongside Kohli. But as soon as Phil is declared fully fit, he will immediately return to the main squad.
RCB is in first place. Nine wins, four losses, 18 points after 13 matches. They haven’t lost a single game in their last three. A win over Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final round will guarantee first place and direct entry into Qualifier 1, which will be held in Dharamsala. RCB won their previous match there, against Punjab Kings.
That match deserves a few words. RCB scored 222/4, a serious charge. Virat Kohli scored 58 runs, setting a record: his ninth IPL season with a 500-plus runs total. Venkatesh Iyer was unbeaten on 73 off 40 balls – a powerful knock. Devdutt Padikkal added 45, and Tim David 28. In response, PBKS suffered an early collapse: Bhuvneshwar Kumar removed Priyansh Arya and Prabhupada Singh and captain Shreyas Iyer also left quickly. Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, and Suryansh Shedge tried to mount a chase, but RCB held firm in the end. Josh Hazlewood gave away just 36 runs in four overs. And in the last over, Rasikh Salam Dar took two wickets (Shashank Singh and Azmatullah Omarzai), giving away only nine runs. Overall victory in 23 runs.
The main intrigue now is Phil Salt’s health. A finger injury is serious; he could return in a month and immediately tear it, or he could take the field and feel discomfort. No one can guarantee he’ll be in the same form he was before April. But the very fact that RCB opener Phil Salt set to return to IPL later this week, at such a crucial moment, is already a serious psychological blow to the opponents. All that remains is to hope the finger holds up. In the meantime, fans can only follow the news from the team camp.
