The SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) will lock horns with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Match 1 of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) on Saturday, March 28. The encounter will be contested at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

The Orange Army come into the tournament with a star-studded batting lineup. Pat Cummins will miss the start of the IPL, with Ishan Kishan taking over the reins in the Aussie’s absence. SRH have quite a few combinations they can play around with, based on the conditions.

SRH’s squad for IPL 2026: Abhishek Sharma, Aniket Verma, Brydon Carse, Eshan Malinga, Harsh Dubey, Harshal Patel, Heinrich Klaasen, Ishan Kishan, Jaydev Unadkat, Kamindu Mendis, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Pat Cummins, Smaran R, Travis Head, Zeeshan Ansari, Salil Arora (INR 1.50 Cr), Shivang Kumar (INR 30 lakh), Liam Livingstone (INR 13 Cr), Amit Kumar (INR 30 lakh), Krains Fuletra (INR 30 lakh), Sakib Hussain (INR 30 lakh), Onkar Tarmale (INR 30 lakh), Praful Hinge (INR 30 lakh), Shivam Mavi (INR 75 lakh), David Payne.

On that note, here is SRH’s predicted playing XI, plus some impact player options, for their IPL 2026 match against RCB.

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Openers: Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head

No changes are expected at the top of the order. Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma form one of the most dangerous opening combinations in the league and can be expected to be itching to scale down the 300-mark.

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Middle Order: Ishan Kishan (c & wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen, Aniket Verma, Liam Livingstone

Ishan Kishan’s game has come a long way in the last year, and his presence at No. 3 is useful. Head coach Daniel Vettori has confirmed that Heinrich Klaasen will bat at No. 4, with Nitish Kumar Reddy following him. Reddy could also take the new ball.

Aniket Verma and Liam Livingstone could then round off the middle order, although some reports have suggested that SRH might bench the Englishman in favor of two overseas fast bowlers. An impact player could further boost the team’s batting.

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Lower Order: Harsh Dubey, Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Eshan Malinga

Onkar Tarmale reportedly had an extended net session, but his returns in the practice game weren’t too encouraging. The bowling unit could thus featue Jaydev Unadkat and Harshal Patel, who offer plenty of experience.

SRH might have to choose between Brydon Carse and Eshan Malinga. Malinga was impressive last year, and his all-phase ability could tilt the scales in his favor if he is match-fit.

Harsh Dubey, as a left-arm spinner who can bat, will be one of the team’s key players against RCB.

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Impact Player Options: Shivang Kumar, Salil Arora, Zeeshan Ansari

Salil Arora has been impressive in domestic cricket in recent times, and if SRH need a batting impact player, they could call upon his services lower down the order.

Shivang Kumar, a left-arm wrist-spinner who can bat, will also be in contention to feature. He should be ahead of Zeeshan Ansari in the pecking order, based on the outcomes of the practice matches.