Mo Bobat expresses concern over injury crisis (Image: ANI) IPL 2026 has been affected by injuries to fast bowlers, with almost all the franchises first choice bowlers missing the opening phase of the tournament. Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be on their own without paceman Josh Hazlewood. RCB’s director of cricket, Mo Bobat, believes the situation reflects the strain of an ever-busy cricket calendar.Along with Hazlewood, fellow Australian quicks Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins are also expected to miss the start of the season, while Nathan Ellis has been ruled out altogether. Mo Bobat believes the situation is due to overcrowded cricket schedules, ”I think it’s probably a symptom of an overcrowded cricket schedule, isn’t it?,” he told a press conference on Tuesday (March 24). At the domestic level, but also at the international level. So it’s not ideal.“It’s not ideal for any of the teams losing players at this late stage because it affects your planning. So I sympathize and feel for any team that’s going through that. I mean, it’s not easy. I think from our perspective we’re just trying and checking it. There’s only so much we can do. and they always communicate with my players. (Flower, the head coach) has a pretty good relationship with most of the authorities, the head coaches or the principals, so you just try to keep those lines of communication open so there’s trust,” Mo Bobat said. “Josh Hazlewood is a really good example. If we didn’t have the relationships we had with Cricket Australia last year, we might not even have come back to carry on the way we did. So I’ve always had the mindset that you just try to control the controls as much as you can. Try to have a really good relationship and an open dialogue. But yeah, it’s difficult and I’m sure it’s not difficult for those teams because it bothers me.” it’s a busy schedule,” added Bobat.
Bobat will open on Salt’s Form
Phil Salt has been in rough T20 form, T20 World Cup 2026 closed on 130 in 8 innings with a single fifty. Although he played a very important role in helping RCB lift the first IPL trophy last season, he scored 403 runs at a strike rate of 175.98 during the phase which also saw him rise to No. 2 in the ICC T20I rankings.RCB also have the option of turning to compatriot Jacob Bethell, who has impressed with 280 runs in the World Cup, including a superb 105 in the semi-final against India at the Wankhede Stadium.“Someone like Phil Salt is still ranked among the top two or three T20 batsmen (No. 4) in the world,” Bobat said. “He’s also really enjoying working with RCB. He’s enjoying the franchise. He’s enjoying his partnership with Virat (Kohli). He’s working very well with people like Andy and DK (Dinesh Karthik). So they’re doing a really good job right now.”“And I’m pretty sure we’re going to see Phil Salt do his thing at the start of the season. You know, I’m looking forward to seeing him and Virat come out with the bat like they did. A couple of gladiators are going to come out, which is always exciting. And they’re going to try to put the opposition under pressure. We have a lot of confidence in our team. Especially with your question about Phil Salt, we have confidence.”
