Virat Kohli Ishan Kishan. Image Credits: AFP
The most anticipated tournament of the year is knocking at the door, and it begins with the RCB vs SRH clash on Saturday, March 28. Both Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad are ready to lock their horns at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium live from 7:30 PM IST.
Led by Rajat Patidar, the defending champions will be excited for their campaign opener as they look forward to starting off their season on a high note.
Though struck with pacer unavailability, RCB was blessed with the news of Josh Hazlewood's arrival after a cloud of doubt and will lead into the battle with their heads high and under the guidance of veteran Virat Kohli.
Sunrisers Hyderabad finished 6th on the points table in IPL 2025 and, under new captain Ishan Kishan, after Pat Cummins' availability, would like to start things on a fresh note with the presence of mega-hitting power in the form of Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma by their side.
Overall, the opening clash is set to crackle with fire in Bengaluru as every IPL fan awaits the opening clash.
RCB vs SRH current form (last 5 matches)
| Teams | Form |
| RCB | W, W, W, L, W |
| SRH | W, W, W, L, W |
RCB vs SRH Player Battles
Virat Kohli vs Jaydev Unadkat
This has largely been a one-sided contest in the IPL, with Kohli dominating Unadkat across multiple seasons. Scoring at a steady strike rate and remaining unbeaten in most encounters until a recent breakthrough, Virat Kohli has handled Unadkat’s variations with ease and punished loose deliveries consistently.
Virat Kohli vs Jaydev Unadkat in IPL: 74 runs; 66 balls; 1 dismissal
Abhishek Sharma vs Suyash Sharma
A high-intensity battle, Abhishek has taken on Suyash’s leg-spin aggressively, scoring 37 runs off just 21 balls at a blistering strike rate of over 176. Despite Suyash managing one dismissal, the left-hander’s fearless approach and power-hitting give him a clear edge in this matchup so far.
Abhishek Sharma vs Suyash Sharma in IPL: 37 runs, 21 balls, 1 dismissal
Travis Head vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Though based on a limited sample, Bhuvneshwar has had the upper hand in their recent IPL clash, dismissing Head for 6 off 5 balls. While Head is known for his attacking play, Bhuvi’s swing and clever variations, especially with the new ball, make him a serious threat early on, giving the experienced pacer a slight advantage.
Travis Head vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar in IPL: 7 runs; 6 balls; 1 dismissal
Also Read- SRH's Record At Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad Before IPL 2026
RCB vs SRH top performers (current squad members)
Most runs for RCB vs SRH
Virat Kohli (805), Rajat Patidar (125)
Most wickets for RCB vs SRH
Josh Hazlewood (2), Romario Shepherd (2)
Most runs for SRH vs RCB
Heinrich Klaasen (202), Abhishek Sharma (185)
Most wickets for SRH vs RCB
Pat Cummins (7), Jaydev Unadkat (4)
RCB vs SRH toss prediction
The M Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch report for the Bengaluru vs Hyderabad match calls for a batting haven in Bengaluru. The pitch is usually a high-scoring ground, where in IPL matches, it has an average score of 161. Bowlers, be it seamers or spinners, usually don't get much help from the track here as batters tend to dominate.
Chasing teams dominate here by a large margin, and going by the majority of choice to bowl first, the captain winning the toss would like to field first here.
RCB vs SRH 1st innings score prediction
Powerplay – 70/1
Final score – 180
RCB vs SRH 2nd innings score prediction
Powerplay – 65/1
Final score – 190
RCB vs SRH top players prediction
RCB's top players' prediction
Probable best batters
Virat Kohli, Jacob Bethell
Probable best bowlers
Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma
SRH's top players prediction
Probable best batters
Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan
Probable best bowlers
Jaydev Unadkat, Harshal Patel
Who will hit the most sixes in Bengaluru vs Hyderabad Match 1?
Who will score the most fours in Bengaluru vs Hyderabad Match 1?
Ishan Kishan
RCB vs SRH Match Winner Prediction: Who will win Match 1?
Sunrisers Hyderabad have dominated Royal Challengers Bengaluru for most of the IPL matches with a 13-11 edge. Even though they look strong on paper, RCB boasts a solid squad with mammoth batting as well as bowling strength to back it up.
Hence, given the overall squad strength and home game advantage, the defending champions RCB, are likely to win the opening clash against SRH.
