The first match of IPL 2026 will see Royal Challengers Bangalore face Sunrisers Hyderabad on 28th at M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.th March 7:30 pm IST.
Get the best RCB vs SRH Dream11 prediction, fantasy cricket tips, probable playing XI and match information.scheduled tribe IPL 2026 match. Expert analysis and more.
RCB vs SRH Match Preview:
Defending champion Royal Challengers Bangalore made a starting 19th A fierce contest against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the edition of the Indian Premier League. This opening encounter will take place as Match No. 1 of IPL 2026 on March 28, 2026 at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Fans can expect a massive atmosphere for this Saturday night’s blockbuster, which will officially start at 7:30 PM IST.
Also read: No Virat Kohli! Rajat Patidar reveals that Jitesh Sharma helped him the most during RCB captaincy
Historically, this rivalry has seen the visitors advantage by a small margin in this format of the competition. Both the teams have faced each other 26 times in the IPL, with Sunrisers Hyderabad having won 14, while Royal Challengers Bangalore have won 11. Additionally, one match between these two sides ended in a draw, which shows how competitive these fixtures remain.
Royal Challengers Bangalore enter this season with immense confidence as defending champions after their first title win in 2025. Captain Rajat Patidar leads a balanced team that finished on top of the mountain last year, and they are currently in a neutral starting position in the points table. Key players like Virat Kohli and newcomer Venkatesh Iyer strengthen their batting, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar leads a bowling unit that is looking to replicate its championship-winning form.
Meanwhile, Sunrisers Hyderabad are ready to prove themselves after having one of the most explosive batting teams in recent history. The “Orange Army” will rely on the aggressive opening pair of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma to establish momentum early. Additionally, the inclusion of Liam Livingstone and Ishan Kishan adds significant depth to their middle-order, making them one of the most dangerous units in the tournament as they begin their 2026 campaign.
Therefore, both the teams will be aiming to score two important points to establish dominance early in the new season. Royal Challengers Bangalore want to take advantage of their home ground and make a winning start to their title defence. In contrast, Sunrisers Hyderabad will focus on silencing the Bengaluru crowd and improving their head-to-head dominance with an away win.
RCB vs SRH Head-to-Head Record:
|
teams |
win the match |
|
Royal Challengers Bangalore |
11 |
|
Sunrisers Hyderabad |
13 |
RCB vs SRH Weather and Pitch Report:
|
temperature |
29°C |
|
weather forecast |
broken clouds |
|
pitch behavior |
batting friendly |
|
Best suited for |
motion |
|
Average score of first innings |
169 |
Records of chasing teams:
|
record |
Good |
|
Victory % |
53% |
RCB vs SRH Playing 12 (Expected):
Royal Challengers Bangalore Playing 12:
1)Virat Kohli
2) Philip Salt
3) Devdutt Padikkal
4) Rajat Patidar ©
5) Jitesh Sharma
6) Jacob Bethel
7) Tim David/Romario Shepherd
8) Krunal Pandya
9) Bhuvaneshwar Kumar
10) Suyash Sharma
11) Jacob Duffy
12) Mangesh Yadav
Sunrisers Hyderabad Playing 12: :
1) Travis Head
2) Abhishek Sharma
3) Ishan Kishan (captain and wicketkeeper)
4) Nitish Kumar Reddy
5) Heinrich Clasen
6) Aniket Verma
7) Liam Livingstone
8) Zeeshan Ansari
9) Harsh Dubey
10) Harshal Patel
11) Ehsaan Malinga
12) Jaydev Unadkat
RCB vs SRH Hot Picks for Dream11 Prediction and Fantasy Cricket Tips:
Captaincy Choice:
|
Abhishek Sharma – Left-handed batting all-rounder from Sunrisers Hyderabad, who has scored 1,815 runs in 77 matches with his aggressive stroke play. |
|
Virat Kohli – Royal Challengers Bangalore are banking on this top-order right-handed batsman who has scored 8,661 runs in 267 matches, including a highest score of 113. |
Raises up:
|
Phil Salt – Explosive at the top, this right-handed wicketkeeper batsman from Royal Challengers Bangalore has scored 1,056 runs in 34 matches. |
|
Travis Head – The left-handed opening batsman for Sunrisers Hyderabad has dominated the attack and scored 1,146 runs in 38 matches, including a powerful century. |
Budget Selection:
|
Rajat Patidar – Captaining Royal Challengers Bangalore, the right-handed top-order batsman has been consistent, scoring 1,111 runs in 42 matches. |
|
Nitish Kumar Reddy – He is a right-handed all-rounder in Sunrisers Hyderabad, who has added 485 runs and taken 6 wickets in 28 matches. |
RCB vs SRH IPL 2026 Captain and Vice-Captain Options:
|
captain |
Virat Kohli and Abhishek Sharma |
|
vice captain |
travis head and philip salt |
RCB vs SRH Dream11 Prediction Team 1:
- Keepers – Heinrich Klaasen, Philip Salt, Ishan Kishan
- Batsmen – Virat Kohli©, Travis Head (Vice Captain), Abhishek Sharma
- Allrounder- Liam Livingstone, Krunal Pandya
- Bowlers-Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Jacob Duffy
RCB vs SRH Dream11 Prediction Team 2:
- Keepers – Philip Salt (vice-captain), Ishan Kishan
- Batsmen – Virat Kohli, Travis Head, Rajat Patidar, Abhishek Sharma ©
- Allrounder – Krunal Pandya, Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Bowlers-Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Jacob Duffy
RCB vs SRH Dream11 Prediction Today Match 1 IPL 2026 Players to Avoid:
|
player |
dream11 credit |
Dream11 Points (Last Match) |
|
Salil Arora |
6.0 credit |
No |
|
Jordan Cox |
6.5 credits |
No |
RCB vs SRH Dream11 Prediction Today Match 1 IPL 2026 Expert Advice:
|
sl captaincy option |
Virat Kohli |
|
gl captaincy option |
Abhishek Sharma |
|
choice of punt |
Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rajat Patidar |
|
dream11 combination |
3-3-2-3 |
RCB vs SRH Match Winner Prediction:
Considering the depth of batting, Sunrisers Hyderabad is expected to win this match.
