RCB Pacer Josh Hazlewood Confident of Full Fitness, Declares 'Everything's On Track' Ahead of T20 World Cup

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's star Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood has provided a positive update on his fitness, confirming he is "on track" to be fully ready for Australia’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign. Hazlewood has been sidelined recently due to a hamstring strain and a subsequent Achilles issue, forcing him to miss the latter stages of the Big Bash League and the T20I series against Pakistan.

The veteran fast bowler, a key component of the RCB attack, is targeting a warm-up match next month to regain match fitness before Australia's tournament opener on February 11. Hazlewood acknowledged the difficulty of managing workloads, especially with a demanding schedule of Test cricket looming later in the year, but expressed confidence in the modified training approach being implemented.

Hazlewood's return to fitness is crucial for RCB, who rely heavily on his partnership with Bhuvneshwar Kumar to lead their pace attack. While the defending champions have concerns over fast-bowling depth, Hazlewood's assurance that his recovery is going to plan provides a significant boost for both his national side and the Bengaluru franchise ahead of the IPL season.