Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will face Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the first match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 on March 28 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
RCB, the defending champions, won the 2025 title against Punjab Kings in the final. They aim to start their season strong, relying on players like Virat Kohli, Krunal Pandya, Rajat Patidar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Tim David as they seek to defend their championship and win again.
Conversely, SRH comes into the match with a weaker bowling lineup due to Pat Cummins’ absence. Led by Ishan Kishan, they hope to leave last season behind and kick off their campaign positively.
RCB vs SRH Match Details
| Match | Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Match 1, Indian Premier League 2026 |
| Date & Time (IST) | Saturday, March 28, 7:30 PM (IST) |
| Venue | M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| Broadcast and Live-Streaming Details | Star Sports (TV), JioHotstar (App & Website) |
M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru: Pitch Report
The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium will see IPL action after nearly a year without matches. The pitch typically supports batters, featuring short boundaries and consistent bounce. Batters can play freely, making big hits more achievable. For bowlers, maintaining discipline is crucial, as any mistakes can lead to high scoring and affect their economy rate on this high-scoring pitch.
RCB vs SRH Head-to-Head Record
| Matches Played | 26 |
| Won by RCB | 11 |
| Won by SRH | 13 |
| Tied | 01 |
| First-ever Fixture | April 7, 2013 (SRH Won) |
| Most Recent Fixture | May 23, 2025 (SRH Won) |
RCB vs SRH Predicted Playing XIs
Royal Challengers Bengaluru:
Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Venkatesh Iyer, Rajat Patidar (Ct), Jitesh Sharma (WK), Krunal Pandya, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Suyash Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jacob Duffy
Impact Player: Mangesh Yadav
Sunrisers Hyderabad:
Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (Ct & WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen, Liam Livingstone, Harsh Dubey, Shivang Kumar, Brydon Carse, Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat
Impact Player: Salil Arora
RCB vs SRH Probable Best Performers of the Match
Probable Best Batter: Travis Head
