SRH team [Source: AFP]
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are ready to take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in Match 6 of IPL 2026. The match will be played at Eden Gardens on April 2, Thursday. Both teams are coming into this match after losing their opening games. Therefore, this match becomes very important for both teams as they look to register their first win of the season.
Notably, SRH lost their first match against RCB. On the other hand, KKR suffered a defeat against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium.
KKR vs SRH Preview
KKR, led by Ajinkya Rahane, showed a strong batting performance in their previous match. Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi played excellent innings and helped the team reach a total of 220 runs. However, Mumbai Indians successfully chased the target in 19.1 overs and won the match by six wickets. Therefore, KKR will look to improve their bowling performance in this match.
Meanwhile, SRH were considered one of the dangerous teams this season. In their previous match, the team faced some batting issues early in the innings. Still, under the leadership of Ishan Kishan, the team managed to score 201 runs.
Ishan Kishan played a brilliant innings of 80 runs, and Aniket Verma scored a quick 43 runs against RCB. However, SRH could not defend the total, and RCB chased the target in 15.4 overs.
The main concern for SRH remains their bowling department. Therefore, the team management will look to fix this issue early in the season. In addition, the team is currently playing without their regular captain Pat Cummins, which has affected the bowling combination.
As the team prepares for their 2nd match of the season, some changes in the SRH playing XI might happen depending on pitch conditions and recent player performances.
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SRH Playing XI vs KKR- Match 6, IPL 2026
Openers and Top Order (Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head and Ishan Kishan)
The top order is likely to remain unchanged in the SRH playing XI. Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head are expected to open the innings again. In the previous match, Abhishek scored 8 runs from 7 balls, while Travis Head scored 11 runs.
Even though they did not score big runs in the last match, they are known for their aggressive batting style. Therefore, the team will continue to trust them at the top of the order.
At number three, captain Ishan Kishan will continue to bat. The young batter is currently in very good form, and he showed his batting ability in the first match itself by scoring 80 runs from just 30 balls. Moreover, his attacking batting helps the team maintain a good run rate in the powerplay and middle overs.
Middle Order and All Rounders (Nitish Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora, Aniket Verma and Harsh Dubey)
Nitish Kumar Reddy had a difficult start to the tournament. The young all-rounder scored only 1 run off 6 balls in the previous match and also did not take any wickets. Therefore, he will be looking to improve his performance in this match and contribute as an all-rounder.
Heinrich Klaasen, meanwhile, played a quick and impactful innings of 31 runs from just 12 balls in the previous match. Notably, for SRH, he is a very important player in the middle order as he can score quick runs and change the momentum of the game. Furthermore, he can also be used as a floater depending on the match situation.
Meanwhile, Salil Arora is expected to continue at number six. Salil scored 9 runs in the previous match, and the team management is likely to give him another opportunity.
Meanwhile, Aniket Verma was one of the best performers in the last match. He scored 43 runs from just 18 balls, and his innings included 3 boundaries and 4 sixes. Therefore, he will be an important player in the lower middle order.
Harsh Dubey is expected to play as a bowling all-rounder. In addition, he can also contribute useful runs with the bat in the lower order, which adds balance to the team.
Bowlers (Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Eshan Malinga)
In the bowling department, Harshal Patel will continue to lead the pace attack in the absence of Pat Cummins. Meanwhile, Jaydev Unadkat will support him in the pace attack. Unadkat picked up one wicket in the previous match while conceding 29 runs. Therefore, he will continue to play an important role in the bowling lineup.
Eshan Malinga is expected to be included in the SRH playing XI vs KKR. However, if Brydon Carse is available for selection, then he might replace Malinga in the team. This decision will depend on fitness and team strategy.
SRH Playing XI vs KKR- Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (C), Nitish Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora, Aniket Verma, Harsh Dubey, Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Eshan Malinga
KKR vs SRH Impact Player Options
SRH Impact Players – Liam Livingstone, Kamindu Mendis, Zeeshan Ansari, David Payne




