Phil Salt IPL 2026 (Source: AFP)Royal Challengers Bengaluru are set to host Kolkata Knight Riders in today’s IPL 2026 match at their new home ground, Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Raipur. After suffering back-to-back defeats recently, the defending champions, RCB, are still in a strong position in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026). The Rajat Patidar-led side has shown consistency throughout the tournament and remains one of the top contenders for the playoffs.RCB have impressed with their balanced performances in both batting and bowling. Virat Kohli has continued his fine form at the top, while the bowling attack led by Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood has delivered important breakthroughs in pressure situations. Nonetheless, with the tournament reaching its business end, the RCB think-tank would want all its players fully fit and match-ready. That being said, in this article, let’s explore whether the Challengers’ trusted batter, Phil Salt, will play in the RCB vs KKR IPL match today. Phil Salt missed the last five games for RCB due to injuryThe English batter has been a noticeable absentee from the RCB top order since their fixture against Gujarat Titans on April 24. Salt has been sidelined due to a persistent finger injury sustained during a diving effort in RCB’s home clash against Delhi Capitals. It is worth noting that Phil Salt's absence in IPL 2026 significantly weakened the Royal Challengers Bengaluru batting unit, leading to consecutive defeats and a loss of explosive momentum in the powerplay.Also read: BCCI Penalises RCB’s Tim David For Obscene Finger Sign In IPL 2026While Salt was sidelined with a finger injury, the team struggled to get quick starts, and his replacement, Jacob Bethell, failed to replicate Salt's high-impact aggression at the top of the order.Stepping into the opening role, Bethell has struggled to fill the void, scoring only 43 runs in the first four innings. However, the English batter found going in the recent RCB vs MI match in Raipur on Sunday, with a fluent 27 off 27 balls. Though not enough in today’s T20 batting standards, considering the pitch and match conditions, the innings was described as a steadying performance for RCB after an early top-order collapse.Will Phil Salt play against Kolkata Knight Riders? According to recent reports, Phil Salt has returned to India after flying back to the UK for medical scans on his finger injury. Former Kolkata Knight Riders director Joy Bhattacharya confirmed Salt’s arrival in India on Cricbuzz.Now, the big question remains: Will Phil Salt make his return against Kolkata Knight Riders? Salt’s availability for the today’s match remains uncertain. It is worth noting that RCB have yet to release an official statement on his availability for the upcoming match. Moreover, even if Salt gets match-fit, Jacob Bethell is expected to continue opening for the franchise alongside Virat Kohli. Notably, the match will be played at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Raipur. As seen in the previous fixture, the Raipur pitch played out tricky, witnessing a tough contest between bat and ball. But Bethell was one of the batters who found form in the problematic conditions. Thus, the young opener is expected to continue in the RCB’s playing 11 vs KKR, despite Phil Salt’s availability. Also read: Virat Kohli’s Test Records That Might Be Impossible To Break
