He made 67 runs in two matches, including a half-century.
English youngster Jacob Bethell made his Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 debut for the Bengaluru outfit just before the unprecedented suspension. Playing two games, he made 67 runs as an opener. However, the 21-year-old is not a part of the playing XI for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) fixture at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. Instead, Phil Salt comes back to action.
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For the two games he played, Bethell was a replacement for his national teammate, Phil Salt. Though Bethell made an impressive half-century against Chennai Super Kings, RCB are utilising Salt at the top of the order.
The keeper-batter played 9 RCB games because a flu ruled him out of the playing XI. He has collected 239 runs so far at an average of 26.55 and a strike rate of 168.30. Alongside Virat Kohli, Salt has given good starts to RCB. He has also struck two half-centuries so far.
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Furthermore, head coach Andy Flower confirmed Salt’s spot in the combination during the pre-match conference in Lucknow.
He said, “Salt, who had been sick, got a chance to recharge his batteries and is now back at full force.”
As RCB aim for a top-two finish on the points table, every match becomes increasingly critical. With two other teams in the race, they must win both of their remaining games to secure a strong position heading into the playoffs. In such a scenario, Salt’s form and consistency will be valuable to RCB before he reportedly returns home for the birth of his child.
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