Royal Challengers Bengaluru opener Phil Salt is most likely to miss the remainder of the league matches for RCB in this edition of the IPL. He is not likely to return before the playoffs of the competition.
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru are the defending champions in this edition of the competition. Having won the title last year, they are in sheer good form this season and have made a promising start.
Currently, RCB is at the top of the IPL 2026 points table and has managed to win eight out of their twelve matches in the competition. Their upcoming matches are likely to be played against the Punjab Kings and the Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Phil Salt returned to England with a finger injury.
RCB opener Phil Salt played a very promising role in the franchise’s success back in 2025 and went on to win two IPL trophies in two consecutive editions with two different franchises, KKR and RCB.
After having played six games this season, where he made a promising start with the bat and was ecstatic on the field, he was ruled out with an injury. He sustained a finger injury during the match against the Delhi Capitals.
He returned to England for further assessment and management of his injury, and since then, his English teammate Jacob Bethell has been drafted as an opener alongside Virat Kohli. However, Bethell has failed to fire at the best of his ability.
Is Phil Salt still in the UK? RCB opener is not likely to return ahead of the playoffs
In recent times, the reports have claimed that Salt has arrived in India and has joined the Royal Challengers camp. This report was mentioned by Cricbuzz, and as a result, the report was followed by several other organizations.
However, new reports have claimed that he has not yet arrived in India and is still in the United Kingdom. This news has now been confirmed by Vishesh Roy, and earlier it was claimed by ESPNcricinfo journalist Matt Roller, who had spotted Salt in the UK.
Hence, a fresh report claims that the RCB opener will not be part of the competition before the playoffs. RCB have two group matches left, and he is not likely to return for these games. However, nothing is official from RCB’s end.
Phil Salt’s spectacular performance in IPL 2026
Phil Salt, the spectacular batter from England, impressed all with his performance. Having played only six games in this season of the competition, he had amassed 208 runs while striking at 168.33. However, his absence was felt further when Bethell struggled in the role, adding just 88 runs across 6 innings.
However, Salt’s contributions have not been limited to batting. He has contributed significantly to the field. Salt took some stunning grabs and has almost covered an entire range on the field, saving crucial runs for his team with diving efforts.