Although Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) currently sits atop the points table and has secured its spot in Qualifier 1, the team has suffered a major blow. England's young star, Jacob Bethell, has been officially ruled out of the remainder of the IPL 2026 season due to an injury sustained to his left ring finger during the league stage. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and RCB have confirmed that he has returned to the UK to recover from his injury ahead of England's Test series against New Zealand.
Although Bethell's performance playing as a replacement for the injured Phil Salt was somewhat underwhelming by his own standards (he scored 96 runs across 7 innings), his sudden departure has created a strategic void in the team's top order; this comes at a critical juncture as RCB prepares to face Gujarat Titans in Dharamshala on Tuesday. These are the most likely candidates to join the squad as Jacob Bethell's replacement.
1. Jonny Bairstow
Jonny Bairstow could take the place of his English teammate in the playoffs for this franchise. This wicketkeeper-batter possesses experience playing in the IPL; he has previously played for the Mumbai Indians, Punjab Kings, and Sunrisers Hyderabad. Bairstow also has two centuries and nine half-centuries to his name in this prestigious league, and he delivered his most impressive performances while playing for SRH. Last year, he scored a total of 85 runs across the two matches he played for Mumbai. The 36-year-old player failed to find a buyer in the 2026 IPL mini-auction.
2. Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who entered the 2026 IPL mini-auction with a base price of INR 1.50 crore, went unsold. However, this Afghan wicketkeeper-batter could still get an opportunity to play in the current IPL season if RCB decides to sign him as a replacement for Jacob Bethell. Gurbaz has played 19 matches in the Indian Premier League, all of which he played for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
KKR did not retain the 24-year-old player for the 2026 season. Primarily playing as an opening batter, Gurbaz scored a total of 363 runs for KKR across three different seasons. This Afghan wicketkeeper-batter possesses the ability to play big shots and could prove to be an excellent addition to the team's lineup.
3. Jake Fraser-McGurk
Jake Fraser-McGurk went unsold in the 2026 auction. Fraser-McGurk has played a total of 15 matches for the Delhi Capitals across two seasons. His best performance came in the 2024 season, when he scored 330 runs in 9 matches, maintaining a strike rate of 199.49 and an average of 25.67.
After failing to perform well in the 2025 IPL season, the Capitals dropped him from the squad during the second half of the season, and he ultimately lost his place in the team. Despite this, this explosive Australian opener could still get an opportunity to play under the banner of Royal Challengers Bengaluru
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