In a strategic mid-season move, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have brought in New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert as a short-term replacement for England’s Jacob Bethell. The announcement comes ahead of the crucial final phase of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season.

Seifert, currently part of the Karachi Kings squad in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), will be available for RCB selection starting May 24, according to an official IPL press release. His arrival in India is subject to Karachi Kings’ progress in the tournament, with the PSL final scheduled for May 25. If the Kings go all the way, Seifert is expected to join RCB in Lucknow by May 26, a day before their final league match against Lucknow Super Giants.

Bethell to Depart for National Duties, RCB Face Overseas Player Dilemma

Jacob Bethell will depart after RCB’s fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday, having been called up for national duty. The young English batter made an impact in his limited appearances, most notably with a 33-ball 55 against Chennai Super Kings earlier this month, filling in for the unwell Phil Salt.

Seifert has been in solid form for Karachi Kings, opening alongside David Warner and amassing 226 runs across nine innings with an impressive strike rate of 145.80. Though his previous IPL stints with Delhi Capitals (2022) and Kolkata Knight Riders (2021) were brief, he brings valuable international experience and form to the RCB squad.

β€œπ‘»π’Šπ’Ž π’ƒπ’“π’Šπ’π’ˆπ’” π’†π’π’†π’“π’ˆπ’š 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’†π’™π’‘π’†π’“π’Šπ’†π’π’„π’† 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒐𝒑 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒓, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 π’‰π’Šπ’” π’‚π’ˆπ’ˆπ’“π’†π’”π’”π’Šπ’—π’† π’”π’•π’šπ’π’† π’‡π’Šπ’•π’” 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒂𝒄𝒉,” 𝒂𝒏 𝑹π‘ͺ𝑩 π’•π’†π’‚π’Ž π’Šπ’π’”π’Šπ’…π’†π’“ 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅.

Meanwhile, RCB are also monitoring the availability of Australia pacer Josh Hazlewood, who is currently recovering from a shoulder injury at Cricket Australia’s High-Performance Centre in Brisbane. Director of Cricket Mo Bobat confirmed last week, β€œWe’re in constant communication with CA, but for now, it’s a wait-and-see scenario with Josh.”

Adding to RCB’s challenges, South African speedster Lungi Ngidi has also been ruled out of the playoff phase due to his preparations for the upcoming World Test Championship final. Zimbabwe’s Blessing Muzarabani has been brought in as a temporary replacement.

As RCB push for a top-two finish, they’ve already secured eight wins from 11 matches. Their next clash is against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday in Lucknow, followed by their league stage finale versus Lucknow Super Giants.

Also Read:Mohammad Kaif’s Crucial Advice to LSG: Prioritize Fit Players Over Injury-Prone Stars

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