Kohli and Padikkal get RCB off to a flying start in IPL 2026 with a six-wicket win over SRH

“We are not defending anything, we will win in IPL 2026 as well,” Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) skipper Rajat Patidar had made a bold declaration after winning the toss in the IPL 2026 opener against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday evening.

The RCB players picked up their skipper’s positivity and made his evening glorious as they began their campaign in resounding fashion, a thumping six-wicket victory.

SRH’s strength has been their batting but on Saturday only four of their batters got into double figures. Even though they ended up with 201 for nine, that was never going to be sufficient especially in the absence of their regular skipper and pacer Pat Cummins.

SRH bowling exposed by RCB batters

The SRH bowling, which is their weak link, was thoroughly exposed by the RCB batters. Even though Jaydev Unadkat had Phil Salt (8) caught by Heinrich Klaasen early on, the SRH bowling lacked the necessary bite to put the RCB batters under pressure.

The ‘hungry’ Virat Kohli, once again, anchored the chase to perfection with an unbeaten 69 off 38 balls with five fours and an equal number over the ropes as RCB replied with 203 for four in 15.4 overs.

The ‘hungry’ Virat Kohli, once again, anchored the chase to perfection with an unbeaten 69 off 38 balls with five fours and an equal number over the ropes as RCB replied with 203 for four in 15.4 overs

“It was good to get back out there. The last game I played was the final last year but I think the way I batted in the one-day series quite recently really helped me to stay in that same kind of momentum. I wasn’t playing shots that I don’t usually play so I knew as long as I have the rhythm and I’ve put enough work physically behind the scenes with my fitness, things should come together nicely and tonight was another chance to start strong and to build on this,” Kohli said after the game.

“And as long as you’re physically fit and you’re excited mentally, all those things come together nicely and then you’re able to, you know, contribute for the team’s cause and that’s what you want to do as a player. You don’t want to hold on to a spot. You want to keep performing and, you know, keep putting in the work for the team,” Kohli added.

Padikkal makes an instant impact

But the real impact was made by Devdutt Padikkal, who was brought in as an Impact Player in place of Jacob Duffy, who was the hero early on. Padikkal smashed the RCB bowlers to all parts of the park as he went on to make a 26-ball 61 with seven fours and four sixes. Padikkal and Kohli added 101 for the second wicket.

“Outstanding knock. I mean, right from the word go, I mean, I had plans of, you know, going aggressive in the powerplay, but when I saw him play, I was like, keep putting him back on strike and hit the odd boundary here and there. So, yeah, he completely took the game away from the opposition and I told him that one shot he hit off a slower ball over mid-on for six. At that time, I told him just keep going on. I mean, you’re hitting the ball amazingly well and just keep pushing it and take the game away from the opposition. His head positions, his balance, absolutely world-class,” Kohli said of Padikkal.

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After Padikkal’s departure, Patidar (31; 12 balls, 2×4, 3×6) partnered Kohli and took the score to 163 before falling to David Payne, who also removed Jitesh Sharma (0) and was on a hat-trick.  However, Kohli and Tim David ensured a comfortable win for their side.

It was a season opener, and the teams were not sure how the wicket would behave and hence Patidar chose to bowl after winning the toss. The move paid off as New Zealand pacer Duffy, who was making his IPL debut with RCB, shot SRH in the foot as he chopped off their top order within the first five overs.

Duffy does the early damage

Abhishek Sharma (7) had welcome Duffy with a six over deep backward point in his first over but thereafter it was Duffy who called the shots. The New Zealand pacer extended the southpaw’s agony. Abhishek has had a poor run in the T20 World Cup and on Saturday, he again looked out of sorts.

Jacob Duffy had figures of 4-0-22-3 as he destroyed the SRH top order at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday

In the third over of the innings, Duffy had Abhishek going for a pull off a delivery which was pitched just outside off but the face of the bat turned on impact and the batter only managed to slice it behind to have Jitesh Sharma gleefully gobble up the chance.

Five balls later, Duffy got an even bigger scalp as he had the dangerous Travis Head (11) caught by Phil Salt at deep square leg to see the stadium erupt in cheers.

The New Zealand pacer was back in the thick of action in his next over as he used the short ball to good effect against Nitish Kumar Reddy (1), who was promoted ahead of Heinrich Klaasen. The Andhra cricketer was not up to the task as he failed to negotiate the short delivery. Nitish’s feet were in the crease as he tried to pull it aerially. The ball stayed up for a mile, even as Abhinandan Singh came in from midwicket and took a simple catch.

SRH were in the dumps at 29 for three but skipper Ishan Kishan and Klaasen took charge of the proceedings. The experienced duo saw off the Duffy threat, who bowled his four overs on a trot and was then replaced by Impact Player Devdutt Padikkal.  Duffy had figures of 4-0-22-3.

In the meantime, Kishan took another debutant Abhinandan to the cleaners as he struck him for a 6, 4 and 6 to show him the harsh realities of IPL. Kishan went on to get a 27-ball fifty with a four off Suyash Sharma.

Kishan and Klaasen to the rescue

Kishan and Klaasen added 97 for the fourth wicket before the latter became Romario Shephard’s first victim after making a 22-ball 31 with two fours and six.  Abhinandan then had his revenge as he had Kishan caught by Salt. Kishan had by then made 80 off 38 balls with eight fours and five sixes.

Thereafter, SRH again lost their way and but for Aniket Verma’s blitzkrieg at the end, the visitors would have got far lesser than what they hoped for. Aniket smashed three fours and four sixes in his 18-ball 43 which helped SRH reach 201 for nine.

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“The wicket played well after the first three to four overs. We lost early wickets and we have to take care of that. The wicket got better in the second innings. We have to be smarter with our shot selection,” said Kishan.

Earlier, a moment’s silence was observed as a tribute to the lost lives in the stampede last year. A few members from the India women’s team, Smriti Mandhana, Shreyanka Patil and Jemimah Rodrigues among others, were in the stands cheering the RCB team.

Brief scores: Sunrisers Hyderabad 201 for nine in 20 overs (Ishan Kishan 80, Henrich Klaasen 31, Aniket Verma 43; Jacob Duffy 3/22, Romario Shepherd 3/54) vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru 203 for four in 15.4 overs (Virat Kohli 69 not out, Devdutt Padikkal 61, Rajat Patidar 31, Tim David 16 not out; David Payne 2/35).