RCB’s Playoff Bid Gets Kiwi Boost As Tim Seifert Replaces Jacob Bethell

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have roped in New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter as a temporary replacement for Jacob Bethell.

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have signed New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert as a temporary replacement for England’s Jacob Bethell, who is set to return home for national duty. Bethell will depart the RCB camp after their penultimate league game against Sunrisers Hyderabad, scheduled for May 23 in Lucknow, to join England for the upcoming white-ball series against the West Indies beginning May 29.

The announcement was confirmed in an official IPL statement:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have signed Tim Seifert as Jacob Bethell is set to leave the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 for England on May 24, following RCB’s league-stage game against Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 23, 2025. The replacement will be effective from May 24, 2025.”

_ ________ ____________ _

New Zealand's explosive wicketkeeper batter, Tim Seifert, has been named as RCB's temporary replacement for Jacob Bethell, who returns to England for national duties after our SRH match. _

Welcome to #____RCB, Bam Bam! __ pic.twitter.com/4TuFJdUHpY

— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) May 22, 2025

Seifert, 29, brings considerable T20I experience with 66 matches and 1,540 runs under his belt. He joins RCB for a contract worth Rs 2 crore. This marks his return to the IPL after brief stints with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2021 and Delhi Capitals in 2022, where he played a total of three games and scored 24 runs.

Bethell isn’t the only English player to exit IPL 2025 early due to international commitments. Jos Buttler (Gujarat Titans) and Will Jacks (Mumbai Indians) have also been recalled by England. Gujarat Titans filled Buttler's absence by signing Sri Lanka’s Kusal Mendis, while Mumbai Indians replaced Jacks with England teammate Jonny Bairstow.

Meanwhile, RCB has already secured a spot in the IPL 2025 playoffs, currently sitting second on the points table with 17 points from 12 games. After facing Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 23, they will conclude their league campaign against Lucknow Super Giants on May 27 in Lucknow as they aim for their maiden IPL title.