IPL 2026: Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are set to receive a major boost ahead of their playoffs fixtures as Phil Salt is plotting his way back to India to help the franchise defend their title successfully. The right-handed batter, who had suffered a finger injury, will reportedly return to later IPL later this week but is uncertain to feature on May 22 against the SunRisers Hyderabad.
IPL 2026: What injury did Phil Salt suffer?
Salt injured a finger on his left hand while attempting to stop a boundary during his team’s loss to the Delhi Capitals on April 18. He has not played since and returned home last month. In his absence, defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru have already secured a playoff berth and are on course to qualify for Qualifier 1 in Dharamsala next Tuesday, unless there is a major swing in the Net Run Rate of teams in the IPL 2026 points table.
It is still unclear whether Salt will return for RCB’s final league match against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Hyderabad on Friday. RCB currently lead the IPL 2026 standings with nine wins and four losses in 13 matches, having accumulated 18 points. The Englishman played six matches in the IPL 2026 before the injury sidelined him. In those six innings, he scored two fifties and a 46.
IPL 2026: Who will the Royal Challengers Bengaluru face in the playoffs?
The reigning champions’ opposition for playoffs hasn’t yet been decided but they are on course for a Top 2 finish and they are already sitting at the top with nine wins and 18 points. While the Royal Challengers are slated to face the SunRisers on May 22 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, they should secure a Top 2 finish unless there is a major upswing in the net run-rate. The Gujarat Titans are also making a strong case to seal the Top 2 spot, while the final playoffs berth is yet to be determined.
Five teams in the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals and the Punjab Kings are battling for it. Punjab Kings and the Royals seem the likeliest contenders, given they are still at 14 points. The Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are the only teams to be eliminated from the playoffs race thus far.
(With Inputs from ANI)
