Phil Salt Set to Return to IPL After Recovering From Injury

England and Royal Challengers Bengaluru opener Phil Salt is set to return to India later this week after recovering from a finger injury that kept him out of the IPL for nearly a month. His comeback ahead of the playoffs comes as a major boost for RCB.

Salt injured a finger on his left hand while diving to save a boundary during RCB’s match against Delhi Capitals on April 18. He has not played since and had returned home to continue treatment and spend time with his family.

Despite Salt’s absence, RCB have remained in excellent form and have already secured a place in the playoffs. Unless there is a major swing in Net Run Rate, they are also likely to seal a spot in Qualifier 1 in Dharamsala next Tuesday.

However, it is still uncertain whether Salt will feature in Friday’s final league-stage match against Sunrisers Hyderabad. With the playoffs approaching, RCB are unlikely to take any unnecessary risks regarding his fitness.

In Salt’s absence, Jacob Bethell partnered Virat Kohli at the top of the order. But the young English batter struggled to make a strong impact, scoring only 96 runs in seven innings. Meanwhile, Venkatesh Iyer impressed with an unbeaten 73 against Punjab Kings, putting himself firmly in contention.

RCB could also receive another boost with the possible return of captain Rajat Patidar. He missed the Dharamsala trip after being hit on the helmet by a sharp bouncer from Kolkata Knight Riders pacer Kartik Tyagi. However, stand-in captain Jitesh Sharma said Patidar is “doing really well” and could return for Friday’s match. His comeback may create a healthy selection dilemma for the team management.