IPL 2026 Opens Today: RCB vs SRH — Virat Kohli Returns, Ishan Kishan Leads SRH
The Indian Premier League 2026 kicks off today with a blockbuster clash between defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. The tournament opener promises fireworks as Virat Kohli makes his much-awaited return to competitive cricket after the New Zealand ODI series in January.
Match Details
Toss: 7:00 PM IST
Match Start: 7:30 PM IST
Venue: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
RCB Captain: Rajat Patidar
SRH Captain: Ishan Kishan (WK)
Virat Kohli’s Much-Awaited Return
The biggest talking point ahead of this match is the return of Virat Kohli. The RCB icon has been away from competitive cricket since India‘s ODI series against New Zealand in January 2026. His return to the Chinnaswamy Stadium — where the crowd worship him — is set to make for an electric atmosphere on opening night.
SRH Hit by Injury Blow — Kishan Takes the Armband
Sunrisers Hyderabad head into the tournament opener without their two premier pace bowlers. Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood are both ruled out due to injuries, dealing a significant blow to SRH’s bowling attack. In their absence, wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan steps up to captain the side for the season opener.
RCB Squad
Virat Kohli, Philip Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (C), Tim David, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma, Jacob Duffy, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Salam Dar, Venkatesh Iyer, Mangesh Yadav, Vihan Malhotra, Vicky Ostwal, Abhinandan Singh, Jacob Bethell, Jordan Cox, Swapnil Singh, Kanishk Chauhan, Saatvik Deswal.
SRH Squad
Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (C/WK), Liam Livingstone, Heinrich Klaasen, Aniket Verma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Harsh Dubey, Ishan Malinga, Shivam Mavi, Smaran Ravichandran, Zeeshan Ansari, Salil Arora, Kamindu Mendis, Brydon Carse, David Payne, Praful Hinge, Sakib Hussain, Crenz Phulethra, Amit Kumar.
Key Things to Watch
- Virat Kohli vs SRH’s pace attack — Can he fire from the first ball of IPL 2026?
- Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma’s opening partnership — last season’s most feared duo.
- SRH’s bowling without Cummins and Hazlewood — can Harshal Patel and Jaydev Unadkat step up?
- Chinnaswamy factor — this small ground heavily favors batters, expect a high-scoring contest.
Stay tuned to Deshtak.com for live ball-by-ball updates, scorecard, and post-match analysis.
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