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Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) uncapped all-rounder Manoj Bhandage has responded to rumours of injury ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. The rumours claimed that Bhandage is currently doing rehabilitation and is set to miss half of the IPL 2025. It further said that RCB may replace him with 21-year-old Ravichandran Smaran in the squad. However, Bhandage took to social media and posted a video of him batting in the nets.
"Prepped and pumped!" Bhandage wrote in his post.
He can be seen playing shots off the front and back foot with ease in the video. Bhandage's last recognised T20 appearance was in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024 against Gujarat on December 5, 2024.
So far, the all-rounder has scored 187 runs from 15 innings at an average of 15.59. With the ball, he has 18 wickets at an average of 24.05. He was picked for his base price of Rs 30 lakh.
Stats of Bhandage's rumoured replacement
On the other hand, 21-year-old Smaran is a left-handed batter as well. From six T20s, he has 170 runs at an average of 34. The Karnataka batter has scored at a strike rate of 170. He has a solitary half-century in T20 career.
RCB have announced Rajat Patidar as their captain. Patidar-led RCB will take on defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on March 22. Their first home game is against Shubman Gill's Gujarat Titans (GT) on April 2.
Meanwhile, there are a few injury concerns for RCB as their overseas players -- Australia's Josh Hazlewood and England's Jacob Bethell -- yet to regain full fitness. Both Hazlewood and Bethell were ruled out of ICC Champions Trophy 2025 from their respective sides.
RCB's squad for IPL 2025
Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Devdutt Padikkal, Swastik Chhikara, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Liam Livingstone, Krunal Pandya, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethell, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Dar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Nuwan Thushara, Yash Dayal, Lungi Ngidi, Abhinandan Singh, Suyash Sharma, Mohit Rathee
