RCB take on SRH in blockbuster season opener:No opening ceremony, Virat Kohli’s men up against Abhishek Sharma’s army

The first match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season will see Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) lock horns with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). RCB, the defending champions, will return to the Chinnaswamy Stadium for the first competitive match since the Bengaluru stampede last year. The hosts will be taking on a rejuvenated Sunrisers side, who will be led by the resurgent Ishan Kishan in the absence of Pat Cummins, who is recovering from injury. RCB will be without their own Aussie quick, Josh Hazlewood. The defending champions will pin their hopes on the legendary Virat Kohli, who has looked in red-hot form in the intra-squad matches. Rajat Patidar led RCB to their maiden title in his first season as captain, but the challenge of defending the crown will be even tougher. Sunrisers will be banking on their explosive top order featuring Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head. Ishan Kishan also looked in good touch during the T20 World Cup. It will be interesting to see how the two bowling units will fare in the absence of their respective Australian gems. Also read: IPL 2026 ‘Virat Kohli on top of his game,’ says Andy Flower: Hazlewood out of season opener; Vettori provides Pat Cummins’ update RCB vs SRH – match details What: RCB vs SRH, Match 1 When: 28 March, 7:30 PM IST (toss at 7 PM) Where: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium How to follow: Jiostar, Star Sports network and Bhaskar English app RCB vs SRH head-to-head record RCB have played 26 fixtures against SRH, winning 11, while the Orange Army have claimed 13 wins. 2 matches between these two teams ended without a result. Both sides won one match apiece, when they locked horns last year. RCB pin their hopes on Virat Kohli and Bhuvneshwar Kumar Virat Kohli is the most experienced player in the RCB dugout, having played his entire IPL career for the team. He is not only the leading run-scorer in the tournament’s history, but the legendary batter is also the undisputed leader of the side. Bhuvneshwar Kumar will be leading RCB’s pace battery, with Jacob Duffy in company. The former India swing maestro will have to do the heavy lifting and chip in with crucial wickets till the time Hazlewood recovers from his injury. SRH hoping for an explosive start from Abhishek Sharma Abhishek Sharma chose the perfect time to return to form as he scored a half-century in the T20 World Cup final. The most destructive batsman in the entire league in terms of his breathtaking strike-rate, there is no stopping Abhishek when he gets going. SRH will be hoping that the pair of Abhishek and Travis Head can continue their heroics. Sunrisers will be banking on the experience of Harshal Patel, and he also has Jaydev Unadkat in support. Together, they can work in tandem to wreak havoc on opposition batters, and it will only get better when Pat Cummins returns to full fitness. M. Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch report For the first time since the stampede on 4 June last year, the Chinnaswamy Stadium will host a top cricket match. Traditionally known for its batting-friendly surface, the shorter boundaries have seen plenty of big totals posted and chased at this venue. Dew will be a factor in the second innings, and a high-scoring game can be expected. 180 is the average score at this venue. A total of 100 IPL matches have been played at this stadium. The team batting first won 43 matches, and the team bowling first also won 53 matches. 4 matches were inconclusive. The highest team score at the ground is 287/3, which Sunrisers Hyderabad made last year against Royal Challengers Bangalore. Bengaluru weather report Clear skies will greet fans in Bengaluru on Saturday; there are no chances of rain. Temperatures will hover between 32 degrees in the day and 20 degrees at night.