Phil Salt of RCB has missed several IPL 2026 matches due to a finger injury. Royal Challengers Bengaluru can sign an injury replacement only if he is ruled out for the season.
Key points
Phil Salt has missed multiple IPL 2026 matches due to injury
RCB can sign an injury replacement if Salt is ruled out for the season
Jacob Bethell is currently opening alongside Virat Kohli
RCB is waiting for Salt's recovery before making a decision
Royal Challengers Bengaluru opening batter Phil Salt has missed multiple IPL 2026 matches since the April 18 match against Delhi Capitals due to a finger injury.
RCB could sign an injury replacement only if Salt is ruled out of the season.
Jacob Bethell has stepped in as opener alongside Virat Kohli in Salt's absence.
RCB are expected to wait for Salt’s recovery before making a final call.
Can RCB sign a replacement for Phil Salt in IPL 2026?
Royal Challengers Bengaluru can sign a replacement for Phil Salt only if the England wicketkeeper-batter is ruled out of the remainder of the IPL 2026 season.
As per IPL rules, franchises may bring in a replacement player until their 12th match of the IPL 2026 season, provided medical verification and match referee approval are obtained.
However, once a player is temporarily unavailable, teams usually wait before finalising a replacement, especially if there is a chance of return later in the tournament.
At this stage, Salt has not been officially ruled out, meaning RCB are unlikely to rush into signing a replacement.
Q&A
What is Phil Salt's injury status for IPL 2026?
Phil Salt is currently sidelined with a finger injury and has missed multiple matches since April 18.
Can RCB sign an injury replacement for Phil Salt?
RCB can sign an injury replacement only if Phil Salt is officially ruled out for the remainder of the season.
Who is currently replacing Phil Salt in RCB?
Jacob Bethell has stepped in as the opener alongside Virat Kohli during Phil Salt's absence.
What are the options for RCB if they need to sign an injury replacement?
The article discusses potential options for injury replacements, but specific names are not provided.
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Why has Phil Salt missed matches for RCB in IPL 2026?
Phil Salt has not featured for RCB in IPL 2026 since the April 18 match against Delhi Capitals (DC) due to a finger injury, per ESPNcricinfo, with the England star returning to the UK for scans.
The report added that Salt had "damaged a finger on his left hand while diving to save a boundary at deep backward square leg in the sixth over of the second innings during their defeat at home to the Delhi Capitals on April 18."
Salt featured in six matches for RCB this season, scoring 202 runs at an average of 33.66 and a strike-rate of 168.33 with a high score of 78 against the Mumbai Indians.
Who replaced Phil Salt in RCB playing XI?
Jacob Bethell replaced Phil Salt in the RCB playing XI to open the batting alongside Virat Kohli. However, he has failed to make an impact in the three matches so far, scoring just 39 runs.
The Cricket News Opinion: Top 3 replacement options if Phil Salt is ruled out of IPL 2026
With Phil Salt sidelined due to injury, RCB may need to explore replacement options if the England opener fails to return this season. Here are three players who could fit the role.
Jake Fraser-McGurk
RCB may not necessarily need a wicketkeeper-batter, with Jitesh Sharma already in the squad. However, Fraser-McGurk could bring explosive intent, having scored 330 runs at a strike rate of over 230 in IPL 2024. While his form dipped in 2025, Fraser-McGurk could be a dangerous player.
Jonny Bairstow
The England and IPL veteran remains one of the most experienced T20 openers available as replacements. He will be a like-for-like replacement for Salt.
He featured in IPL 2025 as a replacement for Will Jacks at the Mumbai Indians. While Bairstow played just two games, both in the playoffs, scoring 47 off 22 against the Gujarat Titans and 38 off 24 against the Punjab Kings.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Gurbaz is another aggressive wicketkeeper-opener who recently impressed at the 2026 T20 World Cup. He previously featured for the Kolkata Knight Riders and attacks in the powerplay, just like Salt, and his fearless batting could complement Kohli at the top of the order.
All that said, RCB won't be in a rush with Bethell filling the role, and the franchise is expected to back him throughout the tournament as they wait for Salt's return.
Should RCB look for Phil Salt's replacements with Jacob Bethell available? To keep up to date with all the latest cricket news and share your opinion on the biggest topics visit our***Facebook***, ***InstagramandX (Twitter)***pages.
