Welcome to live coverage of the IPL 2026 clash between Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Two sides in strong nick meet on Friday, with Rajasthan leaning on explosive batting starts and Bengaluru hoping to keep its momentum going.
At a glance
- Match: Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (IPL 2026)
- Key Rajasthan spark: Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi opening the batting
- Key Bengaluru focus: Resurgent Devdutt Padikkal at No. 3
- RCB top-order leader: Virat Kohli
- Noted bowling lift for RCB: Jacob Duffy in the absence of Josh Hazlewood
Squads
Rajasthan Royals: Riyan Parag (c), Dhruv Jurel, Donovan Ferreira, Lhuan-Dre Pretorius, Ravi Singh, Aman Perala, Shimron Hetmyer, Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, Adam Milne, Brijesh Sharma, Jofra Archer, Kuldeep Sen, Kwena Maphaka, Nandre Burger, Ravi Bishnoi and Sandeep Sharma.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Rajat Patidar (captain), Abhinandan Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Devdutt Padikkal, Jitesh Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Rasikh Dar, Suyash Sharma, Swapnil Singh, Virat Kohli, Venkatesh Iyer, Mangesh Yadav, Kanishk Chouhan, Vihaan Malhotra, Vicky Ostwal and Satvik Deswal.
For Bengaluru, the batting plan looks steadier with Rajat Patidar at the helm of the order and Tim David adding power to the middle overs. The combination is intended to give the innings a platform before the later burst.
What has most impressed, though, is the way RCB have reshaped their bowling. The attack, once viewed as a weak point, now appears far more balanced, with better structure and sharper execution throughout the spell.
Jacob Duffy has been a major factor in the absence of Josh Hazlewood, stepping into the role with attacking, cutting deliveries. Meanwhile, Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma have held their nerve in the middle overs, tightening the noose and limiting scoring opportunities.
Rajasthan’s batting fuel
Rajasthan, meanwhile, have grown into one of the most dangerous batting units of the season. Their charge is powered by the opening partnership of Jaiswal and the teenage sensation Sooryavanshi, who bring energy and intent from the first ball.
The pair has repeatedly delivered rapid starts, mixing clean contact with fearless shot-making that forces opposing bowlers to rethink their lengths early. It’s a style that often leaves the fielding side reacting rather than setting the tempo.
Sooryavanshi, in particular, has drawn plenty of attention for his bold approach. He even struck a six off the very first ball he faced from Jasprit Bumrah in the previous match, a moment that underlined just how fearless his batting can be.
Even with the spotlight on the 15-year-old, Jaiswal’s influence has remained quietly significant. He has shown the ability to anchor when needed and attack when the ball is there, including an unbeaten 77 against Mumbai Indians where he combined composure with a clear intent to score.
Rajasthan’s bowling unit has also been performing with discipline, executing plans with precision across phases of the innings. Whether it’s defending hard lengths or landing yorkers at the death, the Royals look like a well-rounded side rather than a one-dimensional outfit.
Pre-match storyline: form and roles
Riding on those explosive starts from Jaiswal and Sooryavanshi, Rajasthan Royals will look to keep their dominance going. On the other hand, defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will lean on a resurgent Devdutt Padikkal as the two in-form teams square off in this IPL encounter on Friday.
RCB’s batting blueprint is built around a settled top order, headlined by Virat Kohli. Even after stepping away from T20 internationals in 2024, Kohli has continued to show no signs of rust, providing both stability and threat.
Phil Salt also demonstrated his explosive range in the previous game, adding another layer of pace to Bengaluru’s batting options. With that kind of firepower behind him, the middle order can play with more freedom.
Padikkal, batting at No. 3, has carried his domestic rhythm straight into the IPL. His early-season form has blended aggression with control, helping him return to the fluent form that makes him such a key part of Bengaluru’s batting.
In his debut IPL season, he immediately made an impact for RCB by scoring 473 runs and establishing himself as a stylish batter. However, later spells with Rajasthan Royals and Lucknow Super Giants didn’t yield the same returns.
His comeback to Bengaluru last season, as he has admitted, proved to be a turning point. He played a pivotal role in the franchise finally capturing their maiden title, turning that period into a confidence-building chapter.
This season has started in a similar vein. Padikkal has already struck back-to-back fifties, including a 29-ball 50 against Chennai Super Kings and a 26-ball 61 against Sunrisers Hyderabad, and he will be looking to extend that run when the innings begins.
