Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s aspirations of securing their first-ever Indian Premier League (IPL) title as they prepare to face the Punjab Kings in the final may have encountered a significant challenge.
Reports have emerged suggesting that RCB’s key opening batsman, Phil Salt, is uncertain to participate in the crucial title decider against the Punjab franchise due to the imminent birth of his child. Salt’s absence from RCB’s training session on the eve of the final has fueled speculation regarding his availability for the high-stakes encounter.
According to a report, Salt might not even be in Ahmedabad for the match against PBKS, with his current plans reportedly involving joining his partner for the arrival of their first child. Interestingly, RCB coach Andy Flower and captain Rajat Patidar have refrained from commenting on the player’s situation, likely aiming to maintain secrecy regarding their team composition leading up to the all-important match.
Notably, coach Flower has previously demonstrated a penchant for strategic ambiguity, even having injured players participate in pre-match warm-up routines to keep the opposition guessing about the team’s actual lineup.
However, it is also worth mentioning that Salt was not the sole RCB player to miss the practice session, as several other prominent team members also opted out. While the exact situation remains unclear at this moment, the possibility remains that the wicket-keeper batsman has already departed for home.
Will Phil Salt play in the final? What do you think?
