RCB vs SRH IPL 2026 OPENER: When & Where to Watch Live, Time, Streaming & All You Need to Know

The much-awaited 19th edition of the Indian Premier League kicks off today with a blockbuster clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad. The opening match will be played at the iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium, setting the stage for what promises to be a high-scoring encounter.

All eyes will be on Virat Kohli, who returns to competitive cricket after his last appearance in the ODI series against New Zealand earlier this year. Kohli has been in strong form, delivering impressive performances against South Africa and New Zealand. He will look to carry that momentum into the new IPL season and anchor RCB’s campaign.

Both teams will miss key players in the opener. Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood are sidelined due to injuries. In Cummins’ absence, Ishan Kishan will lead SRH, adding an interesting twist to the contest.

This match also marks the return of competitive cricket to the Chinnaswamy Stadium after last year’s tragic stampede during RCB’s victory celebrations, which claimed 11 lives. The focus will now be on a smooth and safe start to the new season.

Date: Saturday, March 28, 2026

Time: 7:30 PM IST (Toss at 7:00 PM IST)

Venue: M Chinnaswamy Stadium

TV Broadcast: Star Sports Network

Live Streaming: JioHotstar app and website

Virat Kohli, Philip Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar ©, Tim David, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma, Jacob Duffy, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Salam Dar, Venkatesh Iyer, Mangesh Yadav, Vihaan Malhotra, Vicky Ostwal, Abhinandan Singh, Jacob Bethell, Jordan Cox, Swapnil Singh, Kanishk Chouhan, Satvik Deswal.

Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (c & wk), Liam Livingstone, Heinrich Klaasen, Aniket Verma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Harsh Dubey, Eshan Malinga, Shivam Mavi, Smaran Ravichandran, Zeeshan Ansari, Salil Arora, Kamindu Mendis, Brydon Carse, David Payne, Praful Hinge, Sakib Hussain, Krains Fuletra, Amit Kumar.

With both sides packed with explosive batters, fans can expect a run-fest in Bengaluru. However, the outcome may ultimately depend on which bowling unit performs better under pressure. RCB will rely on their strong top order, while SRH’s aggressive batting lineup could make this a closely contested opener. The IPL 2026 season couldn’t have asked for a bigger start.