The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 was temporarily suspended due to rising cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan, with 13 league matches still remaining. Soon after, all teams ensured their players — especially foreign stars — were sent back home.
However, the tournament is now set to resume on May 17, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) hosting Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru — one of six venues cleared to host the remainder of the season.
As IPL 2025 resumes, questions swirled around the return of foreign players, with concerns over national duties, injuries, and security. Among the most anticipated was Josh Hazlewood, a key figure in RCB's bowling attack, who had earlier been ruled out due to a shoulder niggle.
Now, it's being said that Hazlewood is set to rejoin RCB for the remainder of the tournament. Travel arrangements are still being finalised, with a source stating, "We don’t have dates for him yet," according to Sportstar.?
His return signals progress in recovery and boosts RCB's push for a maiden IPL title. Hazlewood is also part of Australia's squad for the WTC Final against South Africa at Lord's from June 11.?
Many fans took to X (formerly Twitter) to celebrate the news. However, some remained skeptical, waiting for RCB's official social media accounts to share pictures confirming Josh Hazlewood's return to the squad.
One fan wrote, "The Aussie pace machine is all set to rejoin Royal Challengers Bengaluru for the remainder of the season!"
Another said, "Nation wants to know where's Josh Hazlewood, @RCBTweets — and tell him to stop playing with my mental health."
A third posted, "I don't mind RCB winning this year's IPL just for Josh Hazlewood."
A photo of the fast bowler, reportedly back in India, is also going viral — though it remains unclear whether the image is recent.
Amid the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, the pacer shared a post — seemingly from his official account — expressing support for the Indian Armed Forces. He wrote that the Army should know they have "mates across the globe rooting for you."
However, questions have been raised about the authenticity of Josh Hazlewood's accounts on X and Instagram. While the profiles follow several cricketers and franchises, none of them follow the account back, leading to speculation about whether it's genuine.