The 2026 season of the Indian Premier League begins with a blockbuster clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

With both teams dealing with key player absences, the spotlight is on how they adjust their line-ups for this high-stakes encounter.

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Key Selection Questions

One of the biggest talking points ahead of the match is the absence of star pacers Josh Hazlewood (RCB) and Pat Cummins (SRH).

• RCB will need to reshuffle their bowling attack to compensate for Hazlewood’s absence.
• SRH, meanwhile, will be led by Ishan Kishan, who steps in as captain due to Cummins’ injury.

Another selection dilemma for RCB is whether Venkatesh Iyer will make the starting XI ahead of Devdutt Padikkal.

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Pitch Report & Match Outlook

The Chinnaswamy Stadium is known for its batting-friendly surface and short boundaries, often resulting in high-scoring encounters. Power-hitting and death bowling could prove decisive in the opener.

RCB appear slightly more balanced on paper, while SRH boast a strong and aggressive batting lineup capable of chasing or setting big totals.

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RCB Predicted Playing XI

• Phil Salt
• Virat Kohli
• Venkatesh Iyer / Devdutt Padikkal
• Rajat Patidar (Captain)
• Jitesh Sharma (WK)
• Krunal Pandya
• Romario Shepherd
• Tim David
• Bhuvneshwar Kumar
• Jacob Duffy
• Suyash Sharma

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SRH Predicted Playing XI

• Travis Head
• Abhishek Sharma
• Ishan Kishan (Captain & WK)
• Heinrich Klaasen
• Aniket Verma
• Liam Livingstone
• Nitish Kumar Reddy
• Harshal Patel
• Brydon Carse
• Jaydev Unadkat
• Harsh Dubey

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Full Squads Overview

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Squad:
Includes key players like Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Krunal Pandya, Tim David, and others, with depth in both batting and bowling.

Sunrisers Hyderabad Squad:
Features stars such as Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen, Liam Livingstone, and Travis Head, giving SRH a strong batting core.

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Match Insight

With key players missing and new leadership dynamics in play, the opening match could hinge on which team adapts better under pressure. Big hitters, tactical captaincy, and bowling depth will likely decide the outcome.