The day is here when the the 1st game of the biggest cricket league will be played. The 19th season starts tonight with a blockbuster. Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru take on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
This is only the second time these two sides have met in the tournament’s first game. Last time was in 2017. SRH were the champions then. Now the tables have turned. RCB are the defending champions.
Both teams have injury concerns. Both are missing key players. But the excitement is still huge. A sold-out Chinnaswamy is ready to roar. Let’s check all the stats and records in this Spin24Star story.
Match Overview
The inaugural match of the season will be hosted at the Chinnaswamy. This is RCB’s home ground. This will be an evening match. Rajat Patidar leads RCB. Kishan will hold the captaincy responsibility of SRH.
| Detail | Information |
| Tournament | IPL 2026 |
| Match No. | 1 |
| Teams | RCB vs SRH |
| Date | March 28, 2026 |
| Time | 7:30 PM IST |
| Venue | M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru |
| RCB Captain | Rajat Patidar |
| SRH Captain | Ishan Kishan (stand-in) |
RCB vs SRH Head to Head
The competition among these two sides has been intense. SRH holds a slight edge overall. In 25 matches played, SRH has won 13 times. RCB has won 11 times. One match was tied (SRH won the Super Over). One match had no result.
| Matches Played | RCB Won | SRH Won | TNo Result |
| 25 | 11 | 13 | 1 |
Home vs Away Matches
The match is going to be played in Bangalore. Here, RCB has shown a better game. Till now:
- Total matches played: 8
- RCB Won: 5
- SRH Won: 2
- Abandoned: 1
Last Match of RCB vs SRH Head to Head
Both teams played in IPL 2025 last time. This game SRH won by 42 runs. Ishan scored 94 not out while Cummins took 3 wickets.
Also read about MI IPL 2026 Full Schedule: Match List, Timings, Venues, Squad, and Coaching Staff
Key Match Records
Let’s explore the key match records of the matches played between both teams.
1. Highest Scores
- RCB: 262/7 (IPL 2024)
- SRH: 287/3 (IPL 2024)
2. Lowest Scores
- RCB: 68 (IPL 2022)
- SRH: 72 (IPL 2016)
- Top Scorer
Virat Kohli tops the list. He has scored 805 runs in 25 innings against SRH.
74 Biggest Win Margins
- SRH beat RCB by 118 runs in 2019
- RCB beat SRH by 67 runs in 2022
What to Expect in the Match
The Chinnaswamy pitch is a batting paradise. Small boundaries and a quick outfield. High scores are expected. Dew will be a factor. Under lights, chasing becomes easier. The team winning the toss can go for the bowling option.
- RCB is missing Josh Hazlewood and Yash Dayal. Both key pacers from last season. Bhuvneshwar Kumar will lead the attack. Jacob Duffy may make his IPL debut.
- SRH is also missing Pat Cummins. Their bowling looks light. Harshal Patel and Jaydev Unadkat will handle the pace duties.
Key Players to Watch:
- Virat Kohli needs 29 runs to go past Shoaib Malik in the T20 run-scorers list.
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar needs two wickets to reach 200 IPL wickets.
- Ishan Kishan is in red-hot form after a strong T20 World Cup.
Expect a high-scoring thriller. RCB has a home advantage, but SRH has powerful batting. Whoever handles pressure better will win. For more such cricket updates, keep following Spin24Star.
FAQs
- 1) What is the head to head record between RCB and SRH?
Ans: In 26 matches, SRH has won 13 times, RCB 11 times, one tie, one no result.
- 2) Who has scored the most runs in RCB vs SRH matches?
Ans: Virat Kohli has scored 805 runs against SRH, the most by any batter.
- 3) Who is captaining RCB in IPL 2026?
Ans: Rajat Patidar is captaining RCB. He led them to the title in 2025.
- 4) Who is captaining SRH in Pat Cummins’ absence?
Ans: Ishan Kishan is the stand-in captain for the initial matches.
