These two teams kicked off the IPL 2026 season on March 28, with a high-scoring game at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. A total of 404 runs were scored as Rajat Patidar and his side went on to win the game with ease by six wickets. Chasing 202 to win, the hosts reached the target in the 16th over with Kohli and Padikkal scoring fifties. Fans will also remember the brilliant catch taken by Phil Salt to etch his name in the best catch of the season award pretty early.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), since that loss, have come a long way. Ishan Kishan had led the side brilliantly in the absence of Pat Cummins. Once the Aussie was back, Hyderabad went into a different gear. The top four batters have been consistent and also scored runs at a quick pace. The hosts have also seen the emergence of Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain with the ball in hand. Hussain has been one of the most stand-out bowlers with steady pace and variations in the death overs, which have left many batters confused.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have played cricket like the defending champions ought to. There have been no slip-ups, and their approach right from the first ball of the season has been clinical. Virat Kohli has been in prime form once more as the veteran star has breached the 500-run mark for the ninth time in the league. Bowling has been led well by Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, with Rasikh Salam Dar and Krunal Pandya giving able support.
Here are the top three player battles to watch out for in SRH vs RCB encounter
Josh Hazlewood vs Travis Head
Two Australian players who are known to play an aggressive brand of cricket will be at the centre of attention on Friday. Josh Hazlewood has been bowling well with the new ball and has been clocking speeds above 140 with ease this season. Hazlewood also tends to move the ball early in the game and put the batters under pressure. Head has the upper hand against his Aussie teammate, scoring 23 runs from 12 balls against him, without being dismissed. Fans can expect a cracking contest between the two at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium.
Pat Cummins vs Virat Kohli
Indian veteran batter holds the edge in this battle of superstars, scoring 284 runs against Pat Cummins from 34 overs that he has faced so far. Kohli has been in good form once again, and in the last game between these two sides this season, the batter managed to score 69 runs from just 38 balls. Cummins, on the other hand, will be keen to get one better of the Indian star and dismiss him early to put pressure on the visiting side. The Aussie star will know that he can get a clear mental edge ahead of a possible face-off during the knockouts.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar vs Abhishek Sharma
Two Indian players at different stages of their careers will cross paths in Hyderabad. Abhishek Sharma has been batting well this year and has given his side blistering starts with the bat in hand. The left-handed batter tends to put early pressure on the bowlers with his stroke play. Bhuvneshwar Kumaron the other hand, has been swinging the ball and bowling well in the powerplay overs. Both players will be keen to outdo each other and give a huge advantage to their respective sides by winning this little player contest.
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