As the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 is set to resume on May 17 following a temporary suspension due to political tensions between India and Pakistan, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have received major news with the return of three important English players, Phil Salt, Liam Livingstone, and Jacob Bethell. The trioās comeback is set to strengthen RCB ahead of the clash against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), which will be the first match after the restart.
The availability of foreign players has been a big issue as the IPL enters its business end. Many players flew back home due to the unrest, and with international commitments around the corner, several were expected to miss the remainder of the tournament. However, a ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan has led to the resumption. Meanwhile, Australian all-rounder Tim David and South African pacer Lungi Ngidi have also returned.
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855England recently announced their squads for the upcoming white-ball home series against West Indies, with Bethell named in both the ODI and T20I squads, with the ODIs starting on May 29, raising concerns about his availability for the IPL playoffs. Salt, meanwhile, has been named only in the T20I squad, giving the Bengaluru franchise a chance to utilize his services before he departs.
Salt’s return is important for RCB, given his aggressive starts at the top. After a short illness-related break, the Englishman could be back at his regular best. Livingstone, once a regular member in England’s middle order, has lost his place in both squads due to poor form. However, this omission can make him available for the remainder of IPL 2025.
Notably, Cricket Australia (CA) decided not to mandate its players’ participation and will back those who opt out. Josh Hazlewood, however, is reportedly set to join RCB despite being in Australia’s squad for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. South African players, on the other hand, are expected to depart India by May 25 due to national duty ahead of the WTC final in England starting June 11. This means RCB could lose Ngidi before the playoffs.
