The IPL 2026 The season starts with a big clash between the final champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). This opening set-up is a remake of the high-scoring thriller 2024, set against the backdrop of a sold-out Chinnaswamy crowd.
The title defense begins under RCB Rajat Patidarthe man who led them to a historic maiden cup in 2025. On the other hand, Ishan Kishi and takes the reins for SRH as interim captain Pat Cummins is expected to miss the preliminary stage of the tournament.
RCB enter as ‘defending champions’ for the first time in history, with title sponsor Nothing and a new look with a core squad focused on sustainability. Known for their record-breaking aggression, SRH look to spoil the party with their explosive orders. Head of Travis and Abhishek Sharma.
RCB vs SRH, IPL 2026: Match details
- Date and Time: March 28; 19:30 IST / 14:00 GMT
- Location: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
RCB vs SRH head to head record in IPL
Matches played: 25 | RCB won: 11 | SRH won: 13 | No result/Closed: 1
M. Chinnaswamy Stadium Pitch Report
The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium ground remains a batter’s dream, characterized by its remarkably flat surface, high pitch and lightning-fast outfield that reliably produces high-scoring thrillers. With its famously short boundaries – averaging 55-65 meters square – even ill-timed overs often clear the strings and put enormous pressure on the bowling set-up. Historically, the surface offers a cue for the new ball under the lights, but once the power play is over, the track usually switches to the fairway, where scores north of 200 are standard. As the evening progresses, the significant dew factor often makes it difficult for bowlers and death-row specialists to catch the ball, giving a huge tactical advantage to any captain who wins the toss.
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Groups
RCB: Rajat Patidar (c), Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Jordan Cox, Krunal Pandya, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Jacob Bethell, Venkatesh Iyer, Satvik Deswal, Mangesh Yadav, Vicky Othawal, Vicky Malwal, Johohan Hazlewood, Rasikh Dar, Suyash Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Nuwan Thuhara, Abhinandan Singh, Jacob Duffy
SRH: Ishan Kishan (c), Aniket Verma, Smaran Ravichandran, Salil Arora, Heinrich Klaasen, Travis Head, Harshal Patel, Kamindu Mendis, Harsh Dubey, Braydon Carse, Shivang Kumar, Krains Fuletra, Liam Livingstone, David Payne, Abhishek Sharma, Zeydshan Echanriad, Nitishshan Anriad, Malinga, Sakib Hussain, Onkar Tarmale, Amit Kumar, Praful Hinge, Shivam Mavi, Pat Cummins
RCB vs SRH, IPL 2026: Today’s Match Prediction
Case 1:
- RCB wins the toss and bowl first
- SRH’s power play score: 50-60
- SRH’s total score: 190-210
Case 2:
- SRH win the toss first
- RCB’s powerplay score: 40-50
- RCB’s total: 170-190
Match result: The first bowling team to win the competition
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