In their final league-stage game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) won the toss at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad and elected to bat first against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
Regular RCB captain Rajat Patidar returned to the playing XI after missing the previous game. However, during the toss, Patidar did not mention the name of Phil Salt in the side despite the England batter already rejoining the squad after recovering from injury.
Why Phil Salt is not playing vs SRH
Salt had been out of action for almost a month after injuring a finger on his left hand while attempting to save a boundary during RCB’s clash against Delhi Capitals on April 18.
Following the injury, the explosive opener returned to England for scans, rehabilitation and recovery while also spending time with his family.
During his absence, Jacob Bethell replaced him as Virat Kohli’s opening partner in the RCB setup.
Now fully fit and back with the squad, Phil Salt’s availability comes as a major boost for Bengaluru ahead of the playoffs. However, the franchise appears unwilling to risk him immediately with the knockout stage approaching.
The management has likely opted to keep Salt out of the playing XI against SRH purely as a precautionary measure so that he remains fully fresh and match-ready for the playoffs.
RCB would need Salt at full fitness during the knockout phase, especially considering Jacob Bethell could not make a major impact in the opportunities he received during Salt’s absence.
Salt’s impressive IPL 2026 campaign
Before suffering the finger injury, Salt had enjoyed an excellent IPL 2026 season for RCB.
The aggressive right-hander played six matches and scored 202 runs at an average of 34 and a strike rate of 168.33.
Apart from his explosive batting, Salt also produced some sensational efforts in the field throughout the season.
One of his most memorable moments came during RCB’s opening clash of IPL 2026 against SRH in Bengaluru when he pulled off a stunning catch to dismiss Ishan Kishan near the boundary ropes.
With the playoffs around the corner, RCB fans will now hope Phil Salt returns fully fit for the business end of the tournament.