Sunrisers Hyderabad won the toss and chose to bowl first in the IPL 2026 Eliminator against the Rajasthan Royals at the PCA New International Stadium, where the pressure of a single match can decide an entire campaign. Royals captain Riyan Parag used the toss to address a major fitness issue, explaining that he is not fully ready for the high-stakes knockout. Despite that setback, he underlined that Rajasthan cannot afford to hold anything back, insisting the team must still go after the win with full intent. “We would’ve bowled first as well, because it’s a good surface for chasing. This has been a venue where teams have both chased and defended successfully. I’m not fit to play. Even now, we’ve got no alternative other than to win. I’ll be happy if we execute as a unit and reach our potential,” Parag said. He also confirmed the planned changes for the XI, adding that Jaddu returns to the lineup and that Dubey will be used as the impact player.
SRH captain Pat Cummins, meanwhile, framed the contest as something his team is approaching without overthinking the magnitude of the moment, even though the Eliminator comes after Rajasthan already has the psychological edge of being a knockout side. Cummins noted that Hyderabad’s recent form has been encouraging and that they intend to keep their bowling plans straightforward, aiming to let the Royals feel pressure on their terms rather than forcing complicated tactics. “We’ll bowl first. We’ve played some good cricket recently, and we’ll try to keep our bowling simple while allowing them to play into their strengths,” Cummins said. He also reiterated that the team isn’t rattled by the occasion, calling the ground a favourable one for chasing. “Hinge comes back in. We’re not bothered about the pressure—it’s a good chasing ground,” he added.
The Eliminator carries enormous consequences: the winner moves deeper into the IPL 2026 playoffs, while the side that loses will be eliminated from the tournament. For both teams, the season’s storylines have run in parallel, with momentum swinging back and forth at key times. Rajasthan began their campaign with four consecutive wins, but their progress later stalled following a heavy defeat to SRH earlier in the league phase. In a twist, that same SRH victory acted like a turning point for Hyderabad, as they had struggled early—losing three of their first four matches—before the turnaround began.
Playing XIs confirmed
Sunrisers Hyderabad made their XI selection with a blend of experience and aggressive top-order intent. Their playing group features Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (w), Heinrich Klaasen, Smaran Ravichandran, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Pat Cummins (c), Shivang Kumar, Eshan Malinga, Sakib Hussain, and Praful Hinge.
Rajasthan Royals responded with a lineup built around their batting core and bowling options, naming Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel (w), Riyan Parag (c), Donovan Ferreira, Dasun Shanaka, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Brijesh Sharma, and Yash Raj Punja.
With Hyderabad already holding a 2-0 record over Rajasthan in the season, the Royals face a particularly demanding test in this do-or-die knockout. For Rajasthan, it is about overcoming the absence of full fitness for their captain and still finding a way to control the chase. For SRH, it’s another opportunity to convert their recent improvements into a decisive playoff step and keep their edge over the Royals alive.
