The second phase of IPL 2025 will start from May 17. Preparations for this have been completed. The remaining 17 matches of the group stage will be played at six venues. During this, there will be two double header matches. The biggest challenge on restarting the league was to bring foreign players to India. Actually, the league was postponed for a week due to tension between India and Pakistan. Then almost most of the foreign players had returned. However, now when the second phase starts, all the franchises are busy calling them back. In this episode, good news has come for the fans of Royal Challengers Bangalore. Actually, most of the foreign stars of the team have returned to India.

All-rounder Romario Shepherd has also come to India with some of his West Indies teammates. Apart from this, three powerful players of England have also returned to the RCB team. The biggest update is about Josh Hazlewood. There was doubt about the arrival of Hazelwood, who bowled brilliantly this season, but it is being claimed in media reports that he has agreed to come to play the remaining matches of RCB. However, the date of his return has not been revealed. Hazelwood has been the best bowler of RCB at the moment. Thanks to his sharp bowling, the RCB team is doing well this season.

In fact, Shepherd, who won some matches for RCB on his own this season, has come to India to join RCB. He came to India with his West Indies teammates Andre Russell, Sunil Narine and Dwayne Bravo. Russell and Narine are part of the Kolkata Knight Riders team, while Bravo is the bowling coach of KKR. Apart from this, England's Liam Livingstone, Phil Salt and Jacob Bethel have also joined the RCB team. Apart from this, South African fast bowler Lungi Ngidi has also joined the RCB team. However, Gujarat Titans may get a big setback as Romario Shepherd's arrival in India is not certain. Shepherd has been selected in the West Indies team for the ODI series against England starting on May 29.

Livingstone has been dropped from England's T20 and ODI team. Therefore, he will be available for RCB throughout the season. At the same time, Bethel will get to play only two matches, as he has been selected in the England team for the series against West Indies. England has given a No Objection Certificate (NOC) till May 25 to the players selected for the series from West Indies. Bethel will be able to play only in the matches against RCB's KKR and Sunrisers Hyderabad. Bethel has not been selected in the English team for the Test match against Zimbabwe, which starts on May 22. At the same time, Salt can play all the matches for RCB, as he has been selected in the England team only for the T20 series against West Indies. This series starts on June 6. If the RCB team reaches the final, then the title match will be held on June 3. Ngidi is also doubtful to play all the matches, as he has been selected in South Africa's squad for the World Test Championship final against Australia.

RCB's remaining matches in the league round

May 17: vs Kolkata (Bengaluru)

May 23 vs Hyderabad (Bengaluru)

May 27 vs Lucknow (Lucknow)