Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will aim to reclaim the top spot when they host Delhi Capitals (DC) in Match 26 of the Indian Premier League 2026 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on April 18.
RCB have looked well-balanced in their title defence, barring a minor slip against Rajasthan Royals. Their opening duo of Phil Salt and Virat Kohli has provided consistent starts, while Devdutt Padikkal and captain Rajat Patidar have ensured stability in the middle order. The bowling unit, featuring both reliable pacers and effective spinners, has complemented the batting effort, making RCB one of the most complete sides this season.
Delhi Capitals, meanwhile, have lost momentum after back-to-back wins early on. Two consecutive defeats have pushed them down the table, and they now face a crucial phase. DC will need a collective effort with both bat and ball to challenge a confident RCB outfit.
Rajat Patidar’s captaincy record in IPL (RCB)
-
Matches: 21 -
Wins: 15 -
Losses: 6 -
N/R: 0 -
Win percentage: 71.40%
Axar Patel’s captaincy record in IPL (DC)
-
Matches: 18 -
Wins: 9 -
Losses: 8 -
N/R: 1 -
Win percentage: 50%
IPL 2026: RCB playing 11 vs DC
Royal Challengers Bengaluru have emerged as one of the most well-rounded sides in IPL 2026, with contributions flowing across departments. While Virat Kohli continues to lead the batting charts and hold the Orange Cap, the burden is no longer his alone. Skipper Rajat Patidar has been sensational, especially with his power-hitting, while Phil Salt and Devdutt Padikkal have added consistency at the top. Tim David provides late firepower. With the ball, Josh Hazlewood leads a disciplined attack, supported well by a unit that has adapted smartly to Chinnaswamy conditions.
Impact player: Josh Hazlewood
RCB squad for IPL 2026:
Rajat Patidar, Tim David, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Philip Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Jacob Bethell, Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, Abhinandan Singh, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Salam Dar, Suyash Sharma, Swapnil Singh, Yash Dayal, Nuwan Thushara, Venkatesh Iyer, Jacob Duffy, Mangesh Yadav, Jordan Cox, Vicky Ostwal, Vihaan Malhotra, Kanishk Chouhan, Satvik Deswal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar
IPL 2026: DC playing 11 vs RCB
Delhi Capitals are still searching for rhythm this season despite a squad filled with experienced names. Batters like KL Rahul, David Miller, and Pathum Nissanka have struggled for consistency, leaving the team overly reliant on young Sameer Rizvi, who has shown promise with two half-centuries.
Captain Axar Patel has endured a lean run with both bat and ball. The bowling unit, too, has been inconsistent, with Kuldeep Yadav failing to make an impact and pacers like Mukesh Kumar and T Natarajan unable to deliver regularly.
Delhi Capitals playing 11 (probable): Pathum Nissanka, KL Rahul (w), Sameer Rizvi, Axar Patel (c), David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Auqib Nabi Dar, Lungi Ngidi, Kuldeep Yadav, T Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar
Impact player: Ashutosh Sharma
DC squad for IPL 2026:
Abishek Porel, Karun Nair, KL Rahul, Nitish Rana, Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Ashutosh Sharma, Dushmantha Chameera, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Tripurana Vijay, David Miller, Ben Duckett, Auqib Nabi Dar, Pathum Nissanka, Lungi Ngidi, Prithvi Shaw, Kyle Jamieson, Ajay Jadav Mandal, Madhav Tiwari, T Natarajan, Sahil Parakh
IPL 2026: RCB vs DC key player battles
RCB batters vs DC bowlers
|
Batter (RCB) |
Bowler (DC) |
Inns |
Runs |
Outs |
SR |
Avg |
|
Virat Kohli |
T Natarajan |
6 |
54 |
1 |
169 |
54 |
|
Virat Kohli |
Kuldeep Yadav |
7 |
75 |
1 |
117 |
75 |
|
Virat Kohli |
Dushmantha Chameera |
4 |
25 |
2 |
104 |
12.5 |
|
Virat Kohli |
Axar Patel |
13 |
97 |
1 |
113 |
97 |
|
Phil Salt |
Lungi Ngidi |
4 |
31 |
2 |
148 |
15.5 |
|
Phil Salt |
Axar Patel |
4 |
18 |
2 |
113 |
9 |
|
Devdutt Padikkal |
T Natarajan |
5 |
83 |
0 |
189 |
– |
|
Devdutt Padikkal |
Axar Patel |
5 |
40 |
1 |
167 |
40 |
|
Rajat Patidar |
Axar Patel |
4 |
31 |
1 |
163 |
31 |
|
Venkatesh Iyer |
T Natarajan |
4 |
29 |
2 |
223 |
14.5 |
|
Venkatesh Iyer |
Axar Patel |
5 |
26 |
2 |
113 |
13 |
|
Tim David |
Mukesh Kumar |
3 |
50 |
1 |
357 |
50 |
|
Tim David |
T Natarajan |
2 |
47 |
0 |
294 |
– |
|
Tim David |
Axar Patel |
11 |
58 |
2 |
132 |
29 |
|
Jitesh Sharma |
Kuldeep Yadav |
4 |
31 |
2 |
111 |
15.5 |
|
Jitesh Sharma |
Axar Patel |
3 |
13 |
2 |
87 |
6.5 |
|
Krunal Pandya |
Mukesh Kumar |
5 |
43 |
1 |
172 |
43 |
|
Krunal Pandya |
Kuldeep Yadav |
5 |
34 |
1 |
103 |
34 |
|
Krunal Pandya |
Axar Patel |
6 |
35 |
0 |
117 |
– |
DC batters vs RCB bowlers
|
Batter (DC) |
Bowler (RCB) |
Inns |
Runs |
Outs |
SR |
Avg |
|
Pathum Nissanka |
Josh Hazlewood |
7 |
33 |
0 |
79 |
– |
|
Pathum Nissanka |
Bhuvneshwar Kumar |
3 |
21 |
2 |
95 |
10.5 |
|
KL Rahul |
Suyash Sharma |
2 |
16 |
0 |
62 |
– |
|
KL Rahul |
Josh Hazlewood |
9 |
113 |
2 |
166 |
56.5 |
|
KL Rahul |
Bhuvneshwar Kumar |
11 |
109 |
2 |
110 |
54.5 |
|
KL Rahul |
Krunal Pandya |
10 |
98 |
0 |
107 |
– |
|
David Miller |
Bhuvneshwar Kumar |
8 |
50 |
1 |
152 |
50 |
|
David Miller |
Romario Shepherd |
8 |
58 |
1 |
171 |
58 |
|
Tristan Stubbs |
Romario Shepherd |
5 |
63 |
1 |
191 |
63 |
|
Axar Patel |
Josh Hazlewood |
5 |
15 |
1 |
100 |
15 |
|
Axar Patel |
Bhuvneshwar Kumar |
11 |
60 |
2 |
176 |
30 |
|
Axar Patel |
Krunal Pandya |
5 |
17 |
0 |
121 |
– |
