Last Updated: May 5, 2026 05:04 PM
Royal Challengers Bengaluru are flying high this season with excellent performances overall. The defending champions sit second on the points table currently with momentum. But one major injury concern threatens to derail their entire playoff campaign soon.
Why RCB Needs a Replacement of Phil Salt
Phil Salt injured his finger badly during RCB’s match against the Delhi Capitals. That diving stop near the boundary damaged his left hand significantly. He immediately flew back to the UK for proper medical scans.
The English opener has already missed RCB’s last few matches, sitting out. Nobody knows when Phil Salt returns to India or if he returns. His recovery timeline remains completely unclear without official medical updates yet.
Jacob Bethell temporarily replaced Phil Salt at the top alongside Virat Kohli. The young batter has shown occasional flashes but can’t capitalize consistently. RCB scored 202 runs in 6 innings from Phil Salt before injury.
Those two half-centuries proved his value as an explosive powerplay destroyer. Finding a replacement of Phil Salt who matches that aggression seems difficult. But three unsold players from the IPL 2026 auction offer interesting options.
Top 3 Candidates to Replace Phil Salt at RCB
1. Jonny Bairstow – The Experienced Option
Jonny Bairstow tops this list as the most logical choice clearly. The English opener brings 6 IPL seasons of experience across franchises. He’s played 52 games scoring 1,674 runs at a blistering 146.07 strike rate.
Two centuries and nine half-centuries sit beside his IPL career record. Bairstow played match-winning knocks for Mumbai Indians as a replacement last season. He went unsold in the IPL 2026 auction surprisingly despite that pedigree.
His aggressive opening style perfectly matches what Phil Salt provides for RCB. The wicketkeeping skills add bonus value for team balance and flexibility.
2. Rahmanullah Gurbaz – The Afghan Powerhouse
Afghanistan’s explosive opener went unsold at the auction shockingly this year. Rahmanullah Gurbaz played for KKR from 2023-2025 without many chances. His T20 World Cup 2026 performances reminded everyone of his hitting abilities.
The wicketkeeper-batter brings experience from franchise leagues worldwide consistently. RCB gets both opening firepower and a keeping option in one player.
3. Jake Fraser-McGurk – The Young Wildcard
This young Australian destroyed bowling attacks during IPL 2024 for DC. He scored 330 runs at an insane 234.04 strike rate that season. Four half-centuries proved his explosive potential during powerplay overs especially.
International struggles and IPL 2025 form dip got him released though. He went unsold in IPL 2026 but still offers intriguing upside.
