Phil Salt Availability Update: Star Batter Likely to Miss IPL 2025 Final vs PBKS, Tim David Also Doubtful

 

Royal Challengers Bengaluru are all set to play their first IPL final in nine years, and expectations are high. However, there is a bit of concern in their camp op ener Phil Salt is likely to miss the final. As per ESPNcricinfo, Salt has reportedly left Ahmedabad to be with his partner for the birth of their first child. At the pre-match press conference, coach Andy Flower and captain Rajat Patidar chose not to confirm or talk about the matter.

Andy Flower has become known this IPL season for keeping things secret, even making injured players take part in practice to confuse others. But Phil Salt wasn’t seen at the training session at the Narendra Modi Stadium last night, which makes it more likely that he will miss the final.

As per reports, Phil Salt wasn’t the only Royal Challengers Bengaluru player to skip the training session, with a few others also choosing to rest. Though there’s no official update yet, it’s likely that the wicketkeeper-batter has already flown home.

Phil Salt has been a key player for RCB this season scoring 387 runs in 12 matches at a strike rate of 175.90 and an average of 35.18. His aggressive starts have played a big role in the team’s journey to the final and his absence could be a major setback. With Jacob Bethell already back home on international duty, RCB may struggle to finalise a strong opening pair if Salt is indeed unavailable. In that case, Tim Seifert or Mayank Agarwal could step in as potential openers alongside Virat Kohli.

David’s Absence Could Hurt RCB’s Lower-Order Firepower

On the other hand, RCB might be without one of their key finishers, Tim David, who picked up a hamstring injury against Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 23. He hasn’t played since and also missed the Qualifier 1 against Punjab Kings.

RCB captain Rajat Patidar said that the team is still waiting for a clear update. The medical staff is expected to inform them about David’s fitness on the eve of the final, so his availability remains uncertain for now.

ALSO READ: RCB vs PBKS: Head To Head (Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Punjab Kings | IPL 2025 Final )