Phil Salt absent during training ahead of RCB vs PBKS IPL 2025 Final, team silent on star opener's availability: Report
Just as Royal Challengers Bengaluru prepare for the biggest night in their IPL history, a major curveball has unsettled their camp. Star opener Phil Salt didn't train for the IPL 2025 final against Punjab Kings, with the Englishman expecting the birth of his first child. Salt's absence from RCB's practice session on the eve of the final at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium only fuelled the speculation.
According to a report by ESPNCricinfo, Salt may not even be in the city, with plans being made for him to accompany his partner during the delivery. If that turns out to be true, it would be a huge blow to RCB's title hopes, as Salt has been instrumental in powering their batting charge this season with 387 runs in 12 matches, striking at 175.90 and averaging over 35.
Interestingly, neither head coach Andy Flower nor captain Rajat Patidar addressed Salt's availability during their pre-match media duties. The silence appears strategic. Flower, in particular, has developed a reputation for employing tactical smokescreens.
He has often had even his injured players go through warm-ups before games, deliberately keeping the opposition second-guessing the actual XI.
Salt wasn't the only absentee from RCB's training session, with a few other squad members also opting to rest. But among all, Salt's absence stands out. His opening partnership with Virat Kohli has laid the foundation for many of RCB's big totals this season. Losing him now could force the Bengaluru franchise into a last-minute reshuffle.
With Jacob Bethell already unavailable due to international duty, RCB's options for a replacement opener are limited. Tim Seifert, signed earlier as a replacement, remains a possibility, as does Mayank Agarwal. Both are likely candidates to partner Kohli at the top, should Salt be confirmed unavailable.
While the franchise has not officially announced its decision, the uncertainty around Salt's status looms large ahead of what is already a high-pressure night for RCB. The franchise, still chasing its first IPL title, now faces the additional challenge of possibly filling a key void in its XI.
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