RCB : There are two ways to view Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s 42-run loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday (May 23). On one side, losing by such a margin at a crucial stage of IPL 2025—when four teams are fiercely competing for a top-two finish—is the worst possible timing. On the other side, it’s preferable to face a heavy defeat during the league phase, especially with the team already qualified, rather than in the playoffs.
Additionally, this loss likely helped RCB prepare for the worst-case scenarios. The defeat against SRH was exactly such a scenario. Without Josh Hazlewood, the bowling attack looked noticeably weaker, and the batting lineup was also significantly impacted due to Tim David’s hamstring injury.
The gaps left by Hazlewood and David
Before the IPL was paused because of rising India-Pakistan tensions, Hazlewood was arguably the standout bowler of the tournament. He had taken 18 wickets in 10 games, maintaining an impressive economy rate of just 8.44 despite bowling in the most challenging phases—the powerplay, death overs, and crucial partnership-breaking moments. His bowling average of 17.27 was solid, but his strike rate—taking a wicket roughly every 12 balls—was exceptional, effectively giving him nearly two wickets per match. His absence was clearly felt as SRH surged to a strong total of 231 for 6, even though they were struggling at 164 for 5 in 14.2 overs.
Meanwhile, David has been lethal in finishing matches for RCB. Prior to the SRH game, he had been dismissed only twice in eight innings, boasting an incredible strike rate of 193.75. However, when he came out to bat at No. 8 due to injury, he was unable to run properly, and his brief innings showed obvious signs of discomfort. Had David been fully fit and batted at his usual No. 6 spot, the outcome of the match might have been very different.
There are rumors that Hazlewood might return for the playoffs after completing rehab for his shoulder issue. However, the severity of David’s injury remains uncertain. David could be the more difficult gap for RCB to fill. If he remains unavailable, the team will have to adjust their batting strategy, despite having performed exceptionally well this season.
“It’s better to face this now than in the Eliminator.”
The defeat against SRH highlighted what RCB must do to compensate for the loss of key players. Opener Phil Salt—who himself missed several matches due to illness—said it was preferable to experience this kind of setback during the league phase rather than in the playoffs.
“You don’t mind having this loss now instead of in the playoffs,” Salt explained. “It’s disappointing, of course, but we’ve already qualified. No one enjoys losing a cricket match—I’m just as upset about the defeat as anyone wearing the RCB jersey. But it’s better to lose at this stage than in the Eliminator. This gives us a chance to analyze what we did well and where we fell short, and come back stronger. We have one more group match before heading into the playoffs.”
That last group match against Lucknow Super Giants will be a true test of how the rest of RCB’s squad steps up, especially since they’ve lost some key batting and bowling strength. Salt also downplayed the importance of finishing first or second for a smoother path to the final. Because this defeat has hurt their net run-rate, RCB might now have to play the Eliminator.
“I can’t say whether we prefer finishing first, second, third, or fourth,” Salt said. “We’ve secured a playoff spot, and once you’re there, you just have to play freely and focus on winning the trophy.”
RCB has overcome many challenges before, but to finally claim the trophy they’ve never won, they’ll have to bounce back from yet another major setback.