Royal Challengers Bengaluru have decided to exclude their top fast bowler Josh Hazlewood from the upcoming IPL 2026 match against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium on April 12. The team has opted to include New Zealand bowler Jacob Duffy, who has shown impressive performances in the ongoing tournament.
Hazlewood made a return to the playing XI in the game against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati but had a disappointing display. Despite taking the wickets of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Riyan Parag, he conceded 44 runs in his four overs as RCB secured a six-wicket victory at Barsapara Cricket Stadium.
During the match, Hazlewood faced a challenging over against 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who scored boundaries with ease, leaving the Australian bowler astonished.
In the meantime, Mumbai Indians have made a change by replacing spinner AM Ghazanfar with New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner. The defending champions started with a win at home against Kolkata Knight Riders but suffered losses in their subsequent away matches.
RCB kicked off their campaign with a win over Sunrisers Hyderabad at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium and a victory against Chennai Super Kings at home. However, they faced a defeat in their first away game against Rajasthan Royals. Both teams will be looking to bounce back after their recent setbacks.
The playing XIs for Mumbai Indians vs. Royal Challengers Bengaluru are as follows:
MI Playing XI: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (capt), Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Shardul Thakur, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Mayank Markande
RCB Playing XI: Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (capt), Tim David, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jacob Duffy, Suyash Sharma
Both teams will aim to put on a strong performance in the upcoming match to regain momentum in the IPL 2026 tournament.