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2 min readApr 28, 2026 07:45 AM IST
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Josh Hazlewood celebrates after taking a Delhi Capitals wicket. (Express Photo | Praveen Khanna)
When Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) acquired Josh Hazlewood for Rs 12.5 crore at the mega auction in November 2024, they knew they were getting a three-dimensional bowler who could be effective across all phases in an innings.
On Monday, the Australian showed his prowess with the new ball, ripping the heart out of the Delhi Capitals’ (DC) top-order by claiming 4/12 in 3.3 overs and helping RCB bowl DC out for a mere 75 runs.
Hazlewood was supported by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who took 3/5 in three overs, and he admitted to having followed the Indian’s lead after being adjudged the Player of the Match for his spell.
“It feels like Bhuvi, and I have been pretty close to producing a really good powerplay. So yeah, I just followed his lead basically again and, yeah, what happened, happened, so it was a great result,” Hazlewood said in the post-match presentation.
RCB won each of seven away matches last season, and Hazlewood felt that, as a unit, they had picked up from where they had left off in IPL 2025.
“Yeah, I think we’ve just picked up from where we left off last year. I felt like, in particular in our away games, we summed up conditions nicely, nice and quickly, whether we batted or bowled first, and adapted our games accordingly. So we really went on a bit of a streak towards the back-end of last year and it feels like we’re sort of hitting our straps now at the right time of the tournament, I think,” the Australian said.
As Axar Patel and Rajat Patidar had admitted before him, Hazlewood too expressed surprise at the bowler-friendly nature of the surface at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Monday, especially after 529 runs were scored there on Saturday.
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“Yeah, I think, probably turning up here after 500-plus runs last game, probably weren’t expecting what happened,” he said.
RCB next take on Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
Shivani Naik is a senior sports journalist and Assistant Editor at The Indian Express. She is widely considered one of the leading voices in Indian Olympic sports journalism, particularly known for her deep expertise in badminton, wrestling, and basketball. Professional Profile Role: Assistant Editor and Columnist at The Indian Express. Specialization: While she covers a variety of sports, she is the primary authority on badminton for the publication. She also writes extensively about tennis, track and field, wrestling, and gymnastics. Writing Style: Her work is characterized by "technical storytelling"—breaking down the biomechanics, tactics, and psychological grit of athletes. She often provides "long reads" that explore the personal journeys of athletes beyond the podium. Key Topics & Recent Coverage (Late 2025) Shivani Naik’s recent articles (as of December 2025) focus on the evolving landscape of Indian sports as athletes prepare for the 2026 Asian Games and beyond: Indian Badminton's "Hulks": She has recently written about a new generation of Indian shuttlers characterized by power and physicality, such as Ayush Shetty and Sathish Karunakaran, marking a shift from the traditionally finesse-based Indian style. PV Sindhu’s Resurgence: A significant portion of her late-2025 work tracks PV Sindhu’s tactical shifts under new coaching, focusing on her "sparkle" and technical tweaks to break out of career slumps. The "Group of Death": In December 2025, she provided detailed tactical previews for Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty’s campaign in the BWF World Tour Finals. Tactical Deep Dives: She frequently explores technical trends, such as the rise of "backhand deception" in modern badminton and the importance of court drift management in international arenas. Legacy and History: She often revisits the careers of legends like Saina Nehwal and Syed Modi, providing historical context to current Indian successes. Notable Recent Articles BWF World Tour Finals: Satwik-Chirag have it all to do to get through proverbial Group of Death. (Dec 2025) The age of Hulks in Indian badminton is here. (Dec 2025) Treadmill, Yoganidra and building endurance: The themes that defined the resurgence of Gayatri and Treesa. (Dec 2025) Ayush Shetty beats Kodai Naraoka: Will 20-year-old be the headline act in 2026? (Nov 2025) Modern Cinderella tale – featuring An Se-young and a shoe that fits snugly. (Nov 2025) Other Sports Interests Beyond the court, Shivani is a passionate follower of South African cricket, sometimes writing emotional columns about her irrational support for the Proteas, which started because of love for Graeme Smith's dour and doughty Test playing style despite being a left-hander, and sustained over curiosity over their heartbreaking habit of losing ICC knockouts. You can follow her detailed analysis and columns on her official Indian Express profile page. ... Read More
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