In a critical Eliminator match of the Indian Premier League 2026, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are up against Rajasthan Royals (RR) at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Stadium, New Chandigarh. Before this key game, the team led by Pat Cummins made one change, with pace bowler Harshal Patel not included in the starting lineup.
SRH vs RR: Toss Update
RR captain Riyan Parag, who has returned to full fitness, incorrectly called at the toss. SRH chose to bowl first in this must-win game. Cummins noted that teams chasing have performed well at this ground, making their decision straightforward. Parag expressed disappointment at losing the toss but remains confident about RR’s past performances here.
SRH vs RR: Patel Out, Hinge Returns
The only change in the match was Harshal Patel missing out, while young pacer Praful Hinge returned to the SRH lineup. RR made no alterations but included Ravindra Jadeja in the starting team, with Shubham Dubey as the impact substitute.
SRH vs RR: Captain Insights
Pat Cummins, SRH captain,
“We will bowl first. (Does past finals experience help?) Perhaps, it makes you a bit more relaxed. The key is to play good Cricket, which our team is doing. (Message to the bowlers?) We keep it simple. There might be a few situations to plan for, but we focus on players’ strengths.”
“(Any changes?) Hinge is back. (Have you considered batting first?) Not really; we’ve won plenty of games batting first. At this venue, chasing seems to be a good option. Losing the toss wouldn’t have changed much for us; we’ll start strong with the ball.”
Riyan Parag, RR captain,
“We were also unsure but would have preferred to bowl first. Historically, teams have chased well here, and it’s time for a change. (Three wins here this season) We have positive memories and have successfully chased and defended. (How are you?) I’m fit to play.”
“(Does a must-win mindset help?) Yes, it adds focus. We have only one goal: to win. Our strategy remains the same; we give our best on the field. If we can say we put in our all after 40 overs, I’m satisfied regardless of the outcome. (Any changes?) Same team, just Jadeja in and Dubey as impact.”
SRH vs RR: Playing XIs
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (WK), Heinrich Klaasen, Smaran Ravichandran, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Pat Cummins (captain), Shivang Kumar, Eshan Malinga, Sakib Hussain, Praful Hinge
Impact: Aniket Verma, Salil Arora, Liam Livingstone, Harsh Dubey, Harshal Patel
Rajasthan Royals
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag (captain), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Nandre Burger, Jofra Archer, Brijesh Sharma, Yash Raj Punja
Impact: Shubham Dubey, Sushant Mishra, Amanal Perala, Ravi Bishnoi, Tushar Deshpande