Phil Salt To Replace Jacob Bethell? RCB's Strongest XI For IPL 2026 Match 39 Vs DC

RCB strongest XI Vs DC [Source: AP]

RCB will be out for revenge as the Rajat Patidar-led side takes on the Delhi Capitals in the reverse fixture on Monday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Delhi won the previous fixture in a nail-biting contest, and they’ll be eager to get one more over the defending IPL champions.

Interestingly, the two teams are at opposite ends of the points table, with RCB sitting at second place, and fighting for a top-two spot. The side thrashed the Gujarat Titans in their last IPL match, and they would look to beat the Capitals to strengthen their position in the points table.

Interestingly, the two teams are at opposite ends of the points table, with RCB sitting at second place, and fighting for a top-two spot. The side thrashed the Gujarat Titans in their last IPL match, and they would look to beat the Capitals to strengthen their position in the points table.

RCB have a settled unit, but for an away fixture, the Red Army could be interested in making a slight tweak as they take on the Delhi Capitals.

RCB playing XI Vs DC- Match 39, IPL 2026

Openers and top order: Virat Kohli, Jacob Bethell, Devdutt Padikkal

Phil Salt was injured ahead of the last IPL fixture, and his English teammate, Jacob Bethell replaced him in the playing XI. Bethell couldn’t do much and was dismissed cheaply, but RCB won’t tinker with their playing XI Vs DC.

RCB are doing well in the IPL 2026, and they won’t be looking to rush Salt back in the lineup. Hence, Bethell will once again continue to don the openers’ role.

The star of RCB, Virat Kohli, will be Bethell’s opening partner as the local boy from Delhi, will aim to punish his home team on Monday evening. RCB’s biggest strength this season has been Devdutt Padikkal, the number 3 batter.

He has scored truckloads of runs at a high strike-rate, and the team would hope he can once again deliver the goods at 3 for them.

Middle order and all-rounders: Rajat Patidar, Jitesh Sharma, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya

On paper, RCB has the most destructive middle-order lineup in the entire league. In captain Rajat Patidar, the squad has an explosive batter, who can snatch the game in the blink of an eye. Jitesh Sharma has been going through a rough patch, but RCB will continue to back their keeper.

In Tim David, Romario Shepherd, and Krunal Pandya, the defending IPL champions, have three quality finishers, and they’ll be key for RCB on a flat Arun Jaitley Stadium wicket.

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Bowlers: Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma

Not Josh Hazlewood, but Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been RCB’s best bowler in the ongoing IPL 2026, and with the Delhi surface assisting the batters, Bhuvi will hold the key with the new, and the old ball as well.

Hazlewood hopes to get back to his best rhythm. He has blown hot and cold this season due to an injury, but against the Capitals, he’ll be eager to pluck some more wickets.

Suyash Sharma will be the leader of the spin-attack, and after an average performance against GT, he, too, will hope to dismantle the DC batters. With Rasikh Salam Dar injured, there is a good chance that Mangesh Yadav could be used as an impact sub by the franchise.

RCB Playing XI Vs DC- Virat Kohli, Jacob Bethell, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar(C), Jitesh Sharma, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma

Impact player options- Mangesh Yadav, Venkatesh Iyer, Abhinandan Singh, Jacob Duffy, Kanishk Chouhan

Also Read: Why CSK Have Dropped Sarfaraz Khan For Urvil Patel For IPL 2026 Match vs Gujarat Titans