Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was out for duck last time vs SRH. [Source - AFP]The first return fixture of IPL 2026 sees Rajasthan Royals face Sunrisers Hyderabad for the second time this season. Hosted at Jaipur’s Sawai Mansingh Stadium, the match kicks off at 7:30 PM, with both teams featuring explosive top-orders.The spotlight will be on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who fell for a duck in the previous encounter against SRH. As one of the most destructive openers, he will be eager to make an impact in what is a crucial game for the season's context.PreviewRajasthan Royals, currently placed 3rd in the points table, return to their home ground for the first time in IPL 2026 after winning 5 of 7 games. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi returns to the venue where he announced himself to the world, scoring a 35-ball century last year.Sunrisers Hyderabad are just one spot below, with 4 wins from 7 games, three of which came in last three games. They come into this game in excellent momentum, driven by the imperious form of Abhishek Sharma, coming on the back of a century in the last game.RR's Bowling Shines as Rescue Amid Batting WoesRajasthan Royals’ top-order has struggled in the last three games, unable to replicate their early-season form. The middle-order continues to be a disaster, averaging the second-lowest in the league at 21.58 with a strike rate of 123.98.Riyan Parag has been a key part of the middle-order struggle, averaging just 13.50 in 7 innings. However, he has shown good leadership qualities as captain handling RR’s bowling attack which has been their rescue. RR’s bowling attack is the best in the league, with the lowest bowling average (21.63) and economy rate (8.76). They lead the league in powerplay wickets, taking 19, with Jofra Archer leading the charge with 7 wickets and Nandre Burger adding 5.Their spin attack has been equally potent, with Ravi Bishnoi and Ravindra Jadeja performing to their potential. They have the best spin bowling average in the league, with 17.9 and an economy rate of 8.13.Pat Cummins Returns to Lead in-Form SRH TeamAfter a shaky start, Sunrisers Hyderabad has found their rhythm with three clinical performances in the last three games, both with the bat and ball. The top-order has been the second most explosive in the league, with a strike rate of 184.78.Meanwhile, Heinrich Klaasen has been one of the most underrated players, scoring 320 runs at a strike-rate of 153.11 and an average of 53.33. His consistent performance in the middle-order has provided much-needed stability to SRH's batting lineup this season.Also Read: Will Mitchell Starc Play DC vs PBKS IPL 2026 Match? Will Pat Cummins Play RR vs SRH Match Today?While SRH has been an explosive batting side for some time now, it’s their bowling that has been the real game-changer this season.SRH pace bowlers have been on fire, taking 24 wickets in the last three innings at a strike rate of 12. Sakib Hussain and Eshan Malinga have been leading the charge, and now Pat Cummins joins the force to further strengthen the attack.Moreover, it is SRH’s death bowling which has been second to none, conceding just 8.09 runs per over between the 17th and 20th overs. Sakib Hussain has been particularly effective, conceding just 5 runs per over in death-overs across three matches.From averaging 47.33 to 27.3 and reducing the economy rate from the most expensive at 10 to 8.91, SRH’s Harsh Dubey and Shivang Kumar have completely transformed the team’s spin attack this season.Key StatsNo bowling team has been more expensive than SRH in away games this season - 11.38 economy rate, 35.93 average.Sunrisers Hyderabad lead the head-to-head record vs Rajasthan Royals by 13-9.Sunrisers Hyderabad has won each of their last 5 matches vs RR. Rajasthan Royals have won only 1 of the last 5 matches at Sawai Mansingh Stadium since last year.Spinners (33.25 and 8.99 rpo) had better bowling average and economy than pacers (43.67 and 10.41 rpo) in Jaipur last season.Riyan Parag has a batting average of 48.14 and a strike-rate of 162.01 in Jaipur since 2024.Abhishek Sharma has scored 62 runs at 177.1 strike-rate vs Jofra Archer in T20s (1 dismissal).Abhishek Sharma has 199 runs at 245.68 inside powerplay this season.Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has scored 225 runs at 229.59 strike-rate inside powerplay this season.Yashasvi Jaiswal scored 282 runs at 70.5 average, including 4 50s in 5 innings at Jaipur last season.Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has 175 IPL runs at 233.33 strike-rate in Jaipur.Jofra archer took just 2 wickets in 4 games last year in Jaipur.SRH has been the best batting unit against spin in IPL 2025 - 6 dismissals, 68.66 and 10.56 runs per over (most).RR, on the other hand, has third lowest run-rate against spin this season - 8.25 rpo.Possible ChangesSushant Mishra In For RRSushant Mishra, a left-arm pacer, could be an option Rajasthan Royals might explore to add in their playing XI, given his ability to execute well in death overs.Pat Cummins to replace Dilshan MadushankaPat Cummins comes straight into Sunrisers Hyderabad’s playing XI against Rajasthan Royals, replacing Dilshan Madushanka, and will lead the side as captain.What To Expect? At Sawai Mansingh Stadium, the opening game of the season should offer a decent batting surface with runs on offer. In the recent past, seamers have gone for runs here, while spinners tend to play a crucial role here. Rajasthan Royals’ middle-order is finally expected to find form, and Sunrisers Hyderabad not being at their best bowling form in away games, the contest will depend a lot on the top-order battle, which could ultimately decide the outcome. Also Read: Mohsin Naqvi Brutally Punishes Mohammad Amir, Faheem Ashraf After Shameful PSL Fight
