The IPL 2026 season kicks off with a massive clash between the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). This opening fixture is a repeat of the 2024 high-scoring thriller, set against the backdrop of a sold-out Chinnaswamy crowd.
RCB begins their title defense under Rajat Patidar, the man who led them to their historic maiden trophy in 2025. On the other side, Ishan Kishan takes the reins for SRH as interim captain while Pat Cummins is expected to miss the initial stage of the tournament.
RCB enters as the “defending champions” for the first time in history, sporting a new look with title sponsor Nothing and a core squad focused on continuity. SRH, known for their record-breaking aggression, will look to spoil the party with their explosive top order featuring Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma.
RCB vs SRH, IPL 2026: Match details
- Date and Time: March 28; 7:30 pm IST / 2 pm GMT
- Venue: M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
RCB vs SRH, Head-to-Head Record in IPL
Matches played: 25 | RCB won: 11 | SRH won: 13 | No result/Tied: 1
M. Chinnaswamy Stadium Pitch Report
The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch remains a batter’s dream, characterized by its remarkably flat surface, high altitude, and lightning-fast outfield that reliably produces high-scoring thrillers. With its famously short boundaries—averaging just 55 to 65 meters square—even mistimed edges frequently clear the ropes, putting immense pressure on the bowling units. Historically, the surface offers a hint of movement for the new ball under lights, but once the powerplay concludes, the track typically transitions into a highway where scores north of 200 are standard. As the evening progresses, the significant dew factor often makes the ball difficult to grip for spinners and death-over specialists, making chasing the overwhelming tactical preference for any captain winning the toss.
Squads
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 Ostwal, Vihaan Malhotra, Kanishk Chouhan, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Dar, Suyash Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Nuwan Thushara, Abhinandan Singh, Jacob Duffy
SRH: Ishan Kishan (c), Aniket Verma, Smaran Ravichandran, Salil Arora, Heinrich Klaasen, Travis Head, Harshal Patel, Kamindu Mendis, Harsh Dubey, Brydon Carse, Shivang Kumar, Krains Fuletra, Liam Livingstone, David Payne, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Zeeshan Ansari, Jaydev Unadkat, Eshan 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 bowls first
- SRH’s powerplay score: 50-60
- SRH’s total score: 190-210
Case 2:
- SRH wins the toss and bowls first
- RCB’s powerplay score: 40-50
- RCB’s total score: 170-190
Match result: Team bowling first to win the contest
