Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Rajat Patidar won the toss and elected to bowl against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the opening match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, backing his bowling unit on what is expected to be a batting-friendly surface.
Stand-in SRH skipper Ishan Kishan, leading the side in the absence of the injured Pat Cummins, noted that the conditions were unlikely to change significantly over the course of the game.
The season opener marks the beginning of the 19th edition of the IPL, featuring 10 teams competing across 12 venues in 74 matches. Defending champions RCB are aiming to secure their second title, while SRH will look to make a strong statement early in the tournament.
RCB handed IPL debuts to New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy and uncapped Indian seamer Abhinandan Singh. SIngh was preferred over left-arm pacer Mangesh Yadav. Duffy, meanwhile, is expected to fill in until senior quick Josh Hazlewood regains fitness.
SRH, boasting a formidable top order featuring Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head and Heinrich Klaasen, will rely on their batting depth to set a strong total. Kishan, who also takes on wicketkeeping duties, anchors a lineup that blends power hitters with emerging talent.
With both sides fielding balanced combinations and new players eager to make an impression, the curtain-raiser promises an engaging start to the IPL 2026 season.
Playing XI
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (c & wk), Heinrich Klaasen, Aniket Verma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Salil Arora, Harsh Dubey, Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Eshan Malinga
Royal Challengers Bengluru
Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar, Tim David, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Abhinandan Singh, Jacob Duffy, Suyash Sharma