Ahead of the 2026 Indian Premier League season, the single biggest concern for Royal Challengers Bengaluru was its bowling.

Josh Hazlewood, the 22-wicket star of the title-winning run in 2025, hadn’t played in over four months because of hamstring and Achilles injuries. Yash Dayal, who totalled 28 wickets across two seasons, was unavailable for off-field reasons.