Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru began their IPL 2026 campaign with a surprise selection call, unveiling a bold playing XI against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday.
Captain Rajat Patidar handed a debut to relatively unknown pacer Abhinandan Singh, who is just two days shy of his 29th birthday, while New Zealand quick Jacob Duffy was also included as RCB opted to bowl first after winning the toss. The move signalled the team’s intent to back fresh pace options alongside their established core.
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Abhinandan, a right-arm medium-fast bowler, has built a reputation for hitting consistent lines and extracting movement with the new ball. He previously served as a net bowler for Kolkata Knight Riders during their 2024 title-winning campaign, gaining valuable exposure at the top level. Picked up by RCB for his base price of 30 lakh at the 2025 auction, he was retained ahead of the 2026 season, underlining the franchise’s faith in his potential.
Sunrisers Hyderabad also handed a debut to 23-year-old wicketkeeper-batter Salil Arora, who arrives at the IPL after an impressive domestic season with Punjab. A dynamic middle-order hitter, Arora was Punjab’s highest run-scorer in the 2025/26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, amassing 358 runs at a staggering strike rate of 198.88.
His standout performance came in an unbeaten 125 off just 45 balls against Jharkhand, an innings studded with nine fours and 11 sixes, with 102 runs coming in boundaries alone. Only Ishan Kishan hit more sixes than him in the tournament.
Recognising his power-hitting ability, Sunrisers Hyderabad secured his services for 1.5 crore at the 2026 auction, adding another explosive option to their middle order.
What did the captains say?
Rajat Patidar said his side will bowl first and enter the new season with a fresh mindset, aiming to become champions again rather than defend their title. He highlighted the squad’s depth, strong support system, and overall fitness, while also backing debutants Jacob Duffy and Abhinandan Singh to make an impact.
Ishan Kishan said his team would have preferred to bowl first but is comfortable batting on a fresh surface. He stressed the importance of sticking to simple plans, trusting instincts, and executing well despite missing Pat Cummins, while also naming Salil Arora as one to watch.
IPL 2026, RCB vs SRH: Playing XIs
RCB: Virat Kohli, Philip Salt, Rajat Patidar(C), Jitesh Sharma(WK), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Abhinandan Singh, Jacob Duffy, Suyash Sharma
RCB’s Impact Subs: Devdutt Padikkal, Jacob Bethell, Rasikh Salam Dar, Kanishk Chouhan, Venkatesh Iyer
SRH: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan(C/WK), Heinrich Klaasen, Aniket Verma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Salil Arora, Harsh Dubey, Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Eshan Malinga
SRH’s Impact Subs: Shivang Kumar, Liam Livingstone, David Payne, Smaran Ravichandran, Sakib Hussain
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Published By:
Amar Panicker
Published On:
Mar 28, 2026 19:38 IST
