Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 The season started with a fierce clash as the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)took Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) On Saturday, March 28 at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. While the atmosphere was warm and the ‘home team’ was celebrating their status as rulers, a somber tone marred the early proceedings. As Rajat Patidar Leading their team on the field after winning the toss and electing to bowl, fans immediately noticed RCB players donning black armbands, a touching gesture that transcended the boundaries of the game.
Why are RCB players wearing black bands against Sunrisers Hyderabad?
The reason behind wearing the black band is extremely emotional and it is a tribute to the tragic events of June 4, 2025. After RCB’s historic maiden IPL title win last year, the city of Bengaluru erupted in unprecedented celebrations. Unfortunately, the huge crowd resulted in a deadly stampede outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, which took the lives of 11 dedicated fans.
To honor these individuals, the RCB management and players decided to make the opening day of their 2026 season a day of remembrance. Earlier in the day, the team did its pre-match warm-up wearing jerseys with the number 11 written on them. During the match, the black armband served as a visible sign of respect. Additionally, the franchise has made a permanent gesture by leaving 11 seats vacant in the stadium, thereby ensuring that those fans always remain a symbolic part of the RCB family. At the time of the toss, captain Patidar said that while he has his eyes on the second star on his jersey, he keeps the memories of his supporters in his heart.
Also read: IPL 2026: SRH coach Daniel Vettori shares big update on Pat Cummins ahead of RCB clash
Starting elevens and tactical changes from both sides at the start of the season
The 2026 opener also marked a new era of leadership for both franchises. with pat cummins Sidelined with a lumbar stress injury, Ishan Kishan Stepped in as interim captain for SRH after a stellar T20 World Cup campaign. For RCB, Patidar officially begins his full-time captaincy tenure as he looks to repeat the 2025 magic.
This match highlights an important homecoming Bhuvneshwar Kumar And philip salt While in RCB colours, SRH showed confidence in young talent like Salil Arora, whom Kishan described as one to watch. Despite the lack of frontline pacers Josh Hazlewood (RCB) and Cummins (SRH), the clash at the latest Chinnaswamy track remains a heavy battle.
Playing XI of both the teams
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli, Philip Salt, Rajat Patidar (captain), Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Abhinandan Singh, Jacob Duffy, Suyyash Sharma.
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (WK/Captain), Heinrich Klaasen, Aniket Verma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Salil Arora, Harsh Dubey, Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Ishan Malinga.
Also read: Salary of captains of all the teams participating in IPL 2026
