RCB's Mo Bobat Expresses Confidence in Phil Salt Ahead of IPL 2026
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) director of cricket Mo Bobat has publicly backed England batter Phil Salt, who is currently experiencing a dip in form, as the team prepares for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. Bobat emphasized that Salt remains one of the world's top-ranked T20 batters and expressed excitement about watching him open the innings alongside Virat Kohli for the defending champions.
Phil Salt's Performance Record and Recent Struggles
Phil Salt played a crucial role in RCB's maiden title victory last season, scoring 403 runs in 13 innings with an average of 33.58. However, his form has been a concern recently, as he managed only 130 runs in eight matches during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, averaging a modest 16.25. Despite this, Bobat remains unfazed by the batter's recent performances.
Mo Bobat's Statements on Salt's Abilities
At RCB's pre-season press conference, Bobat addressed questions about Salt's form, stating, "Well, those aren't concerns for me. We've got a high-quality squad, and as we saw last year, our strongest team that we put out most of the time is full of predominantly guys who are playing or have played international cricket. So, these guys are seasoned professionals. They know what they're doing. Someone like Phil Salt is still ranked as one of the top T20 batters in the world."
He further added, "I'm looking forward to watching him and Virat walk out to bat like they do. Couple of gladiators walking out, which is always exciting. And they'll be trying to put the opposition under pressure. We've got a lot of confidence in our team. Huge amount of confidence in Phil Salt and I'm sure he'll go out there and do his thing."
Salt's Partnership with Virat Kohli and Team Dynamics
Bobat highlighted that Salt enjoys his time with RCB and has a strong partnership with Virat Kohli. "He also really enjoys being with RCB. He enjoys the franchise. He enjoys his partnership with Virat. He works very well with the likes of Andy and DK. So they're doing some really good work right now. And I'm pretty sure we'll see at the start of the season Phil doing his thing," Bobat remarked.
Currently, Phil Salt holds the fourth position in the ICC Men's T20I rankings, underscoring his status as a top-tier batter in the format. Bobat's comments reflect the team's strategy of relying on experienced international players to maintain their competitive edge.
Upcoming IPL 2026 Season Opener
Defending champions RCB will begin their title defence against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 28 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The team's confidence in Salt, despite his recent form, suggests they are banking on his proven track record and ability to perform under pressure in high-stakes matches.
This support from the management could be pivotal as RCB aims to build on their previous success and navigate the challenges of the upcoming IPL season with a strong batting lineup led by Salt and Kohli.
