The IPL 2026 begins at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, featuring an opening match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad. A new season brings fresh hopes and team combinations, making player selection crucial for the first game.
RCB, recognized for its impressive lineup and strong batting, aims to present its best XI from the start. The challenge will be creating the right balance of power, stability, and bowling strength against a tough SRH team.
Here is Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s strongest predicted XI for the tournament opener:
Top order: Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Venkatesh Iyer
