The new season begins with a high-voltage clash as Royal Challengers Bengaluru take on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. All eyes will be on RCB, who finally broke their long-standing title drought last season and now enter as defending champions with a fresh sense of belief.

RCB’s strength lies in their balanced batting unit. With experienced names like Virat Kohli at the top and explosive finishers in the lower order, they have the ability to post or chase big totals. However, the absence of key bowlers could test their depth, especially on a batting-friendly surface like Bengaluru.

On the other side, Sunrisers Hyderabad come into this season with something to prove. After an underwhelming campaign last year, they will be eager to bounce back stronger. Their batting lineup looks dangerous, featuring aggressive openers and powerful middle-order hitters who can change the game in a matter of overs.

The real contest could come down to bowling execution. While both teams have firepower with the bat, controlling runs at Chinnaswamy won’t be easy. With a flat pitch and short boundaries, this opening match promises plenty of runs and an entertaining start to the season.

RCB vs SRH Squads

🔴 Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Playing XI:
PD Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, RM Patidar (C), JM Sharma (wk), Tim David, KH Pandya, Romario Shepherd, B Kumar, Suyash Sharma, JA Duffy

Bench:
Jordan Cox, Jacob Bethell, Swapnil Singh, VR Iyer, K Chouhan, Vihaan Malhotra, Mangesh Yadav, S Deswal, A Singh, Josh Hazlewood, N Thushara, Rasikh Salam, Yash Dayal, Vicky Ostwal

🟠 Sunrisers Hyderabad

Playing XI:
H Klaasen, Ishan Kishan (C), A Verma, TM Head, Abhishek Sharma, K Nitish Kumar Reddy, LS Livingstone, HV Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, BA Carse, Shivam Mavi

Bench:
Salil Arora, Smaran-R, PHKD Mendis, S Kumar, Harsh Dubey, Amit Kumar, Praful Hinge, Eshan Malinga, Pat Cummins, Zeeshan Ansari, Krains Fuletra, Sakib Hussain, O T Tarmale, David Payne

RCB vs SRH Dream11 H2H AND MEGA TEAM