Published on: Mar 18, 2026 6:02 pm IST|Updated on: Mar 18, 2026 6:02 pm IST
The reigning champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), will kick off their title defense from March 28 against the Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. For three editions in a row, RCB will be playing the opening game of an IPL season and will be hoping to kick-start their IPL 2026 journey with a massive win over the 2019 champions.
RCB enters the 19th season of Tata IPL with a fairly refreshed squad and renewed hopes. A win in the opening game often sets the tone for a team diving deep into the tournament, and RCB will leave no stone unturned to achieve a win in their opening game of title defense in front of a packed home crowd at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Ahead of their tournament opener, let’s take a look at what could be their strongest possible playing XI for not only the opening game but also the entire tournament.
The fire and ice from the last season, Phil Salt and Virat Kohli, will be forming the formidable opening duo yet again, but this time for the reigning champions. The duo together annihilated opposition bowlers and were quite instrumental in helping RCB lift their first-ever IPL trophy. Although Salt isn’t in the best of touch of late, his ability to strike the ball and dominate the bowlers will remain of utmost importance for the reigning champions.
Skipper Rajat Patidar had an ordinary IPL 2025 with the bat, batting at no 4. However, this season he could be back at his favorite position, i.e., no 3, and give the no 4 slot to Tim David, who has done pretty well batting at that position for Australia. At no. 5, there could be no one better than the vice-captain Jitesh Sharma, who was certainly at his best last season. Also, the team has various other options to try in the middle order, with multiple all-rounders who could shuffle as per the team’s demand.
One of RCB’s biggest buys in the IPL 2026 auctions was Madhya Pradesh all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer. His ability to adapt to any batting order if needed and chipping in with seam bowling makes him a flexible option. Krunal Pandya brings left-arm spin and handy batting depth, while Romario Shepherd offers pace, lower-order hitting, and death-over reliability with the bat. This all-rounder trio balances the team beautifully.
Hazlewood’s accuracy and bounce make him RCB’s spearhead. However, with him being unavailable for the opening phase of the tournament, the RCB has other good overseas seam bowling options in Nuwan Thushara and Jacob Duffy. Although Duffy will be playing his first IPL, Nuwan Thushara has played a handful of games last season, and his slinging action will be the USP for RCB. Duffy offers consistent line and length, and it would be interesting to see how he delivers on the flat deck of M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
The leader of the attack in Hazlewood’s absence will be none other than Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Who can forget Bhuvi’s 19th over in the final of IPL 2025 against Punjab Kings? The veteran bowler adds swing and experience, especially in power plays. He will get company in Yash Dayal, the left-arm pacer, who provides variety and can be effective in middle overs. Together, they form a potent pace attack suited for Chinnaswamy’s conditions.
With his mystery spin, Suyash Sharma adds unpredictability. On a ground where runs flow freely, his variations can be crucial in breaking partnerships and controlling the middle overs. He will be well accompanied by Krunal Pandya’s left-arm spin.
With the bowlers almost certain, the impact sub will most probably be a batter. Devdutt Padikkal, who played the last season majorly at no. 3 as an impact sub, might continue his role yet again.
Tags: IPL 2026