IPL 2026: Top 5 players to watch out for in the RCB vs SRH match
The day that cricket fans have been eagerly awaiting for a long while has finally arrived. The grand opening of IPL 2026 is set to take place today at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. And in the very first match of the tournament, the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, will be in action as they face off against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Having won their maiden title in IPL 2025, RCB is set to enter the tournament as the defending champion for the very first time in IPL history—a milestone that has fans eagerly awaiting the start of the season. Everyone is excited to see whether RCB will be able to successfully defend their title. Setting out with the intent to retain their crown, RCB faces Sunrisers Hyderabad in their very first match—a team widely regarded as possessing the most formidable batting lineup in the tournament.
Both RCB and SRH are renowned for their formidable batting lineups; however, the Achilles' heel for both teams appears to be their bowling. While RCB will be without their senior pacer, Josh Hazlewood, for the initial few matches, SRH will also enter without their regular skipper, Pat Cummins. Despite this, both teams are looking solid on paper, and fans could witness a high-scoring, thrilling game. In this article, we are going to explore the top 5 players to watch out for in the RCB vs SRH IPL 2026 match
Players to watch out for in the RCB VS SRH
1. Virat Kohli (RCB)
Whenever RCB is mentioned, it is simply impossible for Virat Kohli's name not to come up. Last year, after a long and arduous wait of 18 years, Virat finally secured his first IPL trophy; however, the responsibility has now grown even heavier, as the task at hand is to defend the title. Virat Kohli features on the list of RCB's top scorers in almost every edition, and once again, his fans will undoubtedly be harbouring the very same expectations of him. A special highlight of this year will be the fact that, this time around, Virat Kohli will receive support not only from RCB's loyal fanbase but from fans across the entire nation. Everyone is rooting for this to be a truly exceptional year for Virat Kohli.
2. Abhishek Sharma (SRH)
Abhishek Sharma, the Indian T20 team's new 'Sixer King' and the current vice-captain of SRH, will be aiming to make IPL 2026 his own. This explosive batsman, who smashed a half-century off just 21 balls in the T20 World Cup final, finally realised his dream of winning the T20 World Cup; now, his sights are firmly set on lifting the IPL trophy as well. Abhishek Sharma's World Cup campaign was not particularly remarkable; barring the final, he appeared to struggle throughout the rest of the tournament. Against this backdrop, Abhishek will be keen to once again showcase his batting prowess in the IPL.
3. Ishan Kishan (SRH)
In the absence of Pat Cummins, Ishan Kishan will lead Sunrisers Hyderabad during the initial phase of the tournament. He will bat at number 3. The year 2026 has been absolutely magnificent for Ishan Kishan, and he has appeared to be in tremendous form. He was the second-highest run-scorer for India in the 2026 T20 World Cup. He will undoubtedly look to maintain this stellar form in IPL 2026 as well and aim to guide his team to their second title after a gap of 10 years. The last time the two teams faced each other, Ishan Kishan was named Player of the Match for his innings of 94 runs. Thanks to this innings, SRH defeated RCB by 42 runs.
4. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (RCB)
During this match, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, famously known as the 'Swing King', is set to take the field for RCB, where he will also lead the team's bowling attack. Last year, Bhuvneshwar was RCB's second-highest wicket-taker and played a pivotal role in the team's title victory. Fans are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to see 'Bhuvi' back in action once again, and he is expected to receive immense support on the field.
5. Travis Head (SRH)
When SRH's explosive opener Travis Head last took the field against RCB at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, he smashed 102 runs off just 41 balls. On that day, SRH posted the highest total in IPL history—287 runs—on the scoreboard. Once again, Head will look to play a similar innings and provide his team with a winning start.
