New Delhi, March 28: Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) will face off against the reigning champions, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 on Saturday. Ahead of this match, former Indian opener Aakash Chopra has chosen his strongest playing XI for SRH, the champions of 2016. The game is set to take place at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Before IPL 2026 kicks off, SRH has suffered a significant blow. Captain Pat Cummins will miss the opening match. In his absence, Ishan Kishan, a member of India’s T20 World Cup 2026 winning team, will take over the captaincy.
SRH has several options to fill Cummins’ spot in the playing XI, including all-rounders Brydon Carse, David Payne, and Ishan Malinga. Chopra has opted for the Sri Lankan fast bowler, believing the team’s bowling attack is weak and requires a specialist bowler for the death overs.
Chopra has urged SRH management not to send Nitish Kumar Reddy to bat lower than number five. In a video on the social media platform X, he stated, “The other big question is what to do with Nitish Kumar Reddy. They haven’t figured out which number he should bat at. I believe he should bat at number five, but sometimes he gets sent in at number six or even number four. They have never found a fixed spot for him.”
Chopra made no changes to the top four batsmen. Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head will open the innings, while Ishan Kishan and Heinrich Klaasen will bat at numbers three and four, respectively. Liam Livingstone is chosen for number six, with Sahil Arora at number seven.
For bowling, Chopra selected three Indian fast bowlers: Harshal Patel, Shivam Mavi, and Jaydev Unadkat. Malinga will also be part of the team. Spin bowlers Zeeshan Ansari and Shivang Kumar are options for the ‘impact player.’
Aakash Chopra’s Playing XI: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (captain), Heinrich Klaasen (wicketkeeper), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Liam Livingstone, Sahil Arora, Harshal Patel, Shivam Mavi, Jaydev Unadkat, Ishan Malinga.
Impact Player: Zeeshan Ansari/Shivang Kumar.
My name is Narendra Jijhontiya. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including TECHNOLOGY, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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