New Delhi, May 23: The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have received a significant blow ahead of the IPL 2026 playoffs. All-rounder Jacob Bethel has been ruled out for the remainder of the season due to an injury sustained to his left ring finger during a match against Punjab Kings (PBKS). Bethel will return to England for further examination.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed this in an official statement. They will assess the severity of Bethel’s injury and determine if he can recover in time for England’s first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s on June 4.
In the ECB’s statement, it was noted, “The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has agreed with Royal Challengers Bangalore that top-order batsman Jacob Bethel will return to the UK after sustaining an injury to his left ring finger while playing in the Indian Premier League. Upon his return, the England men’s medical team will conduct a thorough assessment and monitoring to decide if Bethel will be available for selection for the first Test against New Zealand on June 4.”
RCB also released a statement saying, “After medical evaluation, Jacob will return to England for further assessment ahead of the upcoming Test series. Everyone at RCB wishes Jacob a speedy recovery and the best for his rehabilitation process.”
During IPL 2026, Bethel partnered with Virat Kohli in the top order in the absence of Phil Salt. However, he struggled to make an impact this season, scoring only 96 runs at an average of 13.71 across seven matches. His injury also kept him out of RCB’s last league match against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
RCB secured their first IPL title last year and has already qualified for the playoffs in IPL 2026. They will face Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 on May 26 at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala. The winning team will secure a spot in the final, scheduled for May 31 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
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