Phil Salt injury update — Is he playing SRH vs RCB IPL 2026 final league match on Friday?

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) wicket-keeper batter, Phil Salt, is set to mark his return to India later this week after a month sidelined from the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 with a finger injury, as recent reports have revealed. He damaged a finger on his left hand while diving to save a boundary. 

The incident with the Bengaluru opener took place during their defeat against the Delhi Capitals (DC) on April 18. He hasn’t featured since then and flew home last month to spend time with his young family in England while his finger healed.

Salt set to return to India this week — But will RCB risk him before the Playoffs?

Salt is expected to be back later this week, but won’t be available for the Sunrisers Hyderabad game at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad. His presence in the game will be a massive boost for the franchise at the opening position with Virat Kohli. 

The right-hander has smashed 202 runs in the IPL 2026 campaign at an average of 33.66 and a strike rate of 168.33, thanks to two half-centuries at the best score of 78 runs. In the previous edition, he clubbed 403 runs in 13 innings at a strike rate of 175.98 with four half-centuries, which shows his importance in the eleven.

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In his absence, RCB have secured qualification for the playoffs and are highly likely to end among the top two of the points table and play the first qualifier on May 26 at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala.

It remains to be seen if Salt will be available to feature in Bengaluru’s final league-stage clash against Hyderabad, but they are unlikely to take any risks so close to the playoffs.

Bethell vs Venkatesh Iyer— Who opens with Kohli if Salt misses SRH clash?

In the Hyderabad game, the opening pair could be interesting. Jacob Bethell has struggled with just 96 runs in seven innings at a poor average of under 14 and a strike rate of 124.67, with the best score of 27 runs.

See Also: RCB make history with sixth Playoff spot since 2020 — PBKS vs RCB IPL 2026 in Dharamsala

India's Venkatesh Iyer, meanwhile, nailed 114 runs in three innings at an average of 114 and a strike rate of 162.85 in the IPL 2026. His unbeaten 73-run knock against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) will push the management to use Iyer at the opening spot if Rajat Patidar returns from injury in the next encounter. 

Kohli has been phenomenal in shouldering the responsibility of their batting unit, having smashed 542 runs in 13 innings at an average of 54.20 and a strike rate of 164.74, thanks to four half-centuries and one century at the best score of unbeaten 105 runs.