As the Royal Challengers Bengaluru face the Punjab Kings hurdle in the bid to lift their maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title, the preparations for the big final seem to have hit a significant hurdle. As per a report, RCB's talismanic opening batter Phil Salt is a doubt for the title clash against the Punjab franchise, as he is expecting the birth of his child. Salt couldn't be spotted in RCB's training session on the eve of the finale, triggering speculations over his availability for the summit clash.
Salt has struck 387 runs for RCB this season in 12 matches, at a strike-rate of 175.90 and an average of 35.18. The stats alone suggest how important the Englishman is for RCB's plans in the final. With Jacob Bethell already back home for international duty, the Bengaluru side are expected to face some problems in sorting out the opening issue if Salt is indeed not available.
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Tim Siefert, signed as a replacement player, and Mayank Agarwal remain the best-suited options for the opening slot, alongside Virat Kohli if Salt isn't available.