With the conclusion of the 2026 T20 World Cup, the attention of all fans is now shifting towards the 2026 IPL. The opening match of this 19th season will be played between the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 28, starting at 7:30 PM IST. This opening fixture will take place at RCB's home ground, the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

All eyes are fixed on the opening match of the tournament. While RCB is set to kick off its 19th season on home ground, a cause for concern for the team is that fast bowler Yash Dayal has been ruled out of the tournament even before the start of IPL 2026. On the other hand, Sunrisers Hyderabad has made some last-minute changes to its squad, including the inclusion of David Payne in place of Jack Edwards. Furthermore, team captain Pat Cummins will be unavailable for the initial few matches, and the responsibility of captaincy will rest with Ishan Kishan in his absence.

Match Details

• Match: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad
• Date: March 28, 2026
• Time: 7:30 PM IST
• Venue: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Team News

The RCB team management faces some specific issues to address-most notably, the unavailability of left-arm fast bowler Yash Dayal for IPL 2026. Furthermore, according to some reports, Josh Hazlewood will also not be available for the initial few matches. In the absence of Dayal and Hazlewood, the team's bowling lineup appears weakened.

That means more pressure could fall on RCB’s Indian core and on senior players to deliver immediately in the first game. At home, the batting unit will once again be expected to carry a big share of the load.

Sunrisers Hyderabad Team News

Hyderabad is also set to enter the opening match with a few changes; David Payne has secured a spot in the squad as a replacement for Jack Edwards. Meanwhile, Pat Cummins will also be unavailable for the first few matches. However, this is not a major cause for concern for SRH, as their batting lineup is more explosive than that of any other team.

Hyderabad is also set to enter the opening match with a few changes; David Payne has secured a spot in the squad as a replacement for Jack Edwards. Meanwhile, Pat Cummins will also be unavailable for the first few matches. However, this is not a major cause for concern for SRH, as their batting lineup is more explosive than that of any other team.