Phil Salt scored 403 runs at a strike rate of 175.98 in RCB’s maiden IPL title campaign in 2025. Jacob Bethell scored a century against India in the T20 World Cup 2026 semifinal and was England’s standout batter across the tournament. Salt managed only 130 runs across the full World Cup. Tim David has 846 runs across 50 IPL matches at a strike rate of 173.36. Romario Shepherd has 18 IPL matches, 185 runs at 212.64 strike rate, and 10 wickets. Josh Hazlewood has 57 IPL wickets from 39 matches at an economy rate of 8.27. Faf du Plessis, the former RCB captain who won’t be part of the 2026 campaign, was asked which overseas combination RCB should field. His answer was immediate: “I will go with Salt because of the combination they had last year with Virat and Salt.”

 

Why Du Plessis Chooses Salt Despite His World Cup Form

 

Du Plessis’s reasoning for backing Salt over Bethell is combination-based rather than form-based. The right-left opening partnership that Salt and Kohli form creates the specific powerplay problem that a right-handed Bethell alongside Kohli does not. Opposition bowlers must adjust field placements and lengths for left-right combinations in ways they don’t need to for two right-handers at the top.

 

Salt’s 175.98 strike rate in the 2025 title campaign confirms the ceiling of what he produces when he is in form and integrated into a settled combination. His poor World Cup 2026 returns of 130 runs across the tournament are a genuine concern, but du Plessis’ implicit argument is that IPL form and international form are different currencies for a powerplay batter whose value is explosiveness rather than accumulation. Salt at a 175.98 strike rate in IPL conditions is a different proposition from Salt at a lower output in international cricket.

 

What Du Plessis Said About Hazlewood’s Fitness

 

Du Plessis was equally clear about Hazlewood’s importance and equally realistic about his availability: “I don’t think Hazlewood will play every game for them. He was being talked about for the World Cup at one stage. So, you would imagine six months later, his body will be in a much better place.” On what happens when Hazlewood is unavailable, he was direct: “When he was there, even when I was playing, we would have effective bowling attacks, and when you take him out, he leaves such a massive hole because he gets you wickets in the powerplay.”

 

Hazlewood’s 57 IPL wickets from 39 matches at an economy rate of 8.27 confirms du Plessis’ assessment  a bowler who takes wickets in the powerplay on Chinnaswamy’s flat surface while maintaining an economy rate that prevents opposition teams from accelerating is genuinely irreplaceable. His absence from RCB’s first two matches against SRH and CSK creates the exact hole du Plessis warned about before a ball has been bowled.

 

Why IPL 2026 Defending Champions Need Continuity Over Experimentation

 

The specific risk du Plessis identifies in changing the overseas combination is disrupting the chemistry that produced RCB’s maiden IPL title. Tim David’s 173.36 strike rate in the death overs and Romario Shepherd’s 212.64 strike rate alongside 10 wickets from 18 matches represent the finishing and all-round profiles that RCB’s batting structure is built around. Replacing either with a high-quality alternative requires re-establishing the tactical relationships that the 2025 combination had already solved.

 

Bethell’s T20 World Cup 2026 form is the strongest case for change. His century against India in the semifinal on a pressure occasion where most batters failed confirms a player operating at peak confidence. But du Plessis’ position is that IPL titles are won by combinations rather than individuals, and the combination that won in 2025 deserves the continuity that defending champions historically use to generate a second title.


  • Do you agree with Faf du Plessis that RCB should stick with Salt over Bethell, or do you think Bethell’s T20 World Cup 2026 form earns him the IPL opening spot? Drop your view in the comments and follow for IPL coverage.

 

FAQs

 

What are the best RCB overseas players for the IPL?

Faf du Plessis suggests Phil Salt, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, and Josh Hazlewood as the most balanced combination.

 

Why is Phil Salt preferred over Jacob Bethell?

Salt offers explosive powerplay impact, which is crucial in high-scoring IPL conditions despite inconsistent form.

 

Will Josh Hazlewood play all matches in IPL 2026?

His participation may be managed due to fitness, but he remains vital when available.

 

How do Chinnaswamy conditions affect the RCB team selection?

The batting-friendly pitch favors power hitters and disciplined bowlers over experimental combinations.

 

Can RCB change their overseas combination during IPL?

Yes, especially based on injuries or form, but teams usually prefer consistency to maintain performance.