New Delhi: The 26th match of the 19th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is scheduled to be played today between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals. Both players and fans are highly excited about the match. This game will take place at Bangalore’s Chinnaswamy Stadium, commencing at 3:30 PM. The toss is scheduled for 3:00 PM.
In this contest, all eyes will once again be firmly fixed on Rajat Patidar. Both teams are expected to give their absolute all in pursuit of victory, making for what promises to be a highly thrilling encounter. Consequently, the question arises: what will the probable playing XIs look like for both sides? You can find all the essential details below.
key highlights
- Match: 26th match of IPL 2026 – Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) vs Delhi Capitals (DC)
- Venue: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore
- Date & Time: Today – Match starts at 3:30 PM, Toss at 3:00 PM
Key Player Focus: Rajat Patidar
- Strike rate in middle overs (6th–16th): League average is 151.39, but Patidar’s is an astonishing 223.86
- Sixes in middle overs: Patidar alone has hit 18 sixes; his entire RCB teammates combined have hit only 17
- Key battle to watch: Patidar vs spinners Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav
Another Key Player: KL Rahul
- Last year at this venue (Bangalore): Scored a match-winning 93 runs
- Calls Chinnaswamy his “turf”
- Against RCB: Average 71.1 | Strike rate 144
- Weakness exposed recently: Vulnerable to leg-spin; RCB may use Suyash Sharma to exploit this
All Eyes on Patidar
Rajat Patidar has delivered some truly spectacular batting performances in this season of the IPL. Between the 6th and 16th overs, the average strike rate for batsmen across the league has stood at 151.39. However, Patidar has managed to score runs at an astonishing strike rate of 223.86.
He has single-handedly smashed 18 sixes during the middle overs; in contrast, the rest of his teammates combined have managed to hit only 17 sixes. This is precisely why the match is expected to become incredibly exciting when he faces world-class spinners like Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav.
High Expectations from This Batsman as Well
Did you know that KL Rahul presents another intriguing storyline in this match? Last year in Bangalore, he played a match-winning innings, scoring 93 runs. He has even referred to this venue as his “turf.” Against RCB, he boasts an impressive average of 71.1 and a strike rate of 144. However, a significant weakness against leg-spin has recently come to light in his game; RCB will likely attempt to capitalise on this vulnerability through the bowling of Suyash Sharma.
Here is a quick look at Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Probable Playing XI
Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (Captain), Jitesh Sharma (Wicketkeeper), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Salam, Suyash Sharma.
Delhi Capitals’ Probable Playing XI
Pathum Nissanka, KL Rahul (Wicketkeeper), Nitish Rana/Ashutosh Sharma, Sameer Rizvi, Axar Patel, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Vipraj Nigam/Aaqib Nabi, Lungi Ngidi, Kuldeep Yadav, T. Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar.
