How RCB can fit Jacob Duffy alongside Josh Hazlewood to clinch back-to-back IPL title

How RCB can incorporate Duffy in playing XI [Source: AFP Photo]

The IPL 2026 season is still a few months away, but the buzz has reached its peak as all ten franchises have built a strong core for the upcoming season and will look to get their hands on the coveted trophy. Just like every season, all eyes will be on the defending champions, RCB, as they aim to win the title back-to-back.

After winning the championship last season, RCB needed to make minor tweaks in their squad, which they did to perfection in the mini auction. The management also brought in New Zealand star, Jacob Duffy, for a steal deal, but the big question arises, can they incorporate him in the playing XI alongside Josh Hazlewood?.

Duffy was bought for a mere 2 crore, and the pacer has done well in the international circuit for the Kiwis. Perhaps, RCB could tweak their settled playing unit and add Duffy in the scheme of things.

What Jacob Duffy brings to the table for RCB

Outstanding stats in T20Is

The Kiwi pacer had a rapid rise in the T20Is last year, and at one stage, he was also adjudged as the number one-ranked T20I bowler by the ICC. Time and again, Duffy has proven his worth in the T20s, and the stats reveal the story.

(Duffy in T20Is)

• As the data reveals, Duffy has shone brilliantly for the Kiwis, and in just 39 T20Is, he has scalped 55 wickets, with an economy of just 7.35.

Control over lines and lengths

Apart from having excellent T20I numbers, one thing that always works for Duffy is his ability to control the lines and lengths in the power play. He constantly delivers the ball in the same area, forcing the batters to play a rash shot. This is similar to how Hazlewood dominated against the opposition batters in IPL 2025.

How RCB can include him in playing XI

Play two overseas bowlers

• Last season, RCB’s four overseas players were a top-order batter, two middle-order players, and an overseas pacer in Josh Hazlewood. However, to incorporate Duffy, RCB can play two overseas bowlers - Duffy and Hazlewood, and sacrifice one batter in the middle-order.
• For starters, Phil Salt will definitely play alongside Virat Kohli at the top, and instead of playing Tim David and Romario Shepherd together, the franchise can sacrifice one of them to have Duffy in the lineup. For the IPL 2026 season, RCB have strengthened their Indian batting core with the inclusion of Venkatesh Iyer.
• Hence, the side can still have a strong batting unit if they include Devdudtt Padikkal, Venkatesh Iyer, Rajat Patidar, and Jitesh Sharma in the lineup. That would mean Salt at the top, one of Shepherd, Tim David sacrificed, and two overseas bowlers in the lineup.

Play Duffy to give injured Hazlewood some rest

Josh Hazlewood has been nursing an injury, and he hasn’t played any competitive cricket in the last two months. He will enter the IPL on the back of little to no match-practice. Hence, his injury needs to be managed carefully.

In such a scenario, RCB can start their title defense by straightaway putting Duffy in the playing XI, and giving Hazlewood ample time to get back to his best. With Duffy’s inclusion, RCB has the luxury to allow Hazlewood time to heal his injury.

The Kiwi pacer can play in the initial few games as the lone foreign pacer, and once Hazlewood gets back to his best, the team can incorporate both.

Final verdict

RCB have a gem in their hands in Jacob Duffy, and the team must play him in the main XI for the IPL 2026 season. His inclusion won’t be easy as RCB has a settled squad, but the team does have two ways by which the Kiwi spearhead could win games for them in IPL 2026, and the franchise must incorporate him in the playing XI to win the IPL title once again.