SRH Opt to Bowl Against RR as Cummins Returns for IPL 2026 Clash

Jaipur, April 2026 : Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bowl first against the Rajasthan Royals in Match 36 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Saturday, marking his return to competitive action this season.

Cummins, who had been sidelined earlier, came back to lead the side and replaced Dilshan Madushanka in the playing XI. The Hyderabad-based franchise also brought in Praful Hinge in place of Harsh Dubey, making two key changes for this important encounter.

Sunrisers Hyderabad entered the contest with strong momentum, having secured a commanding win over the Delhi Capitals in their previous outing. With four wins from seven matches, they currently sit fourth on the points table, holding eight points and an impressive net run rate of 0.820.

On the other hand, Rajasthan Royals have also been in excellent form. Led by Riyan Parag, they are placed second in the standings with five wins from seven matches and 10 points, along with a healthy net run rate of 0.790. They come into this match after a convincing victory over the Lucknow Super Giants, setting the stage for a high-stakes clash between two in-form sides.

Speaking after the toss, Cummins expressed confidence in his team’s preparation and shared his thoughts on returning to action. “We’re going to have a bowl first. The wicket looks good, and we want to assess what total we’ll need to chase. I’ve had good preparation coming into this game. It’s been a while since I last played, but my body feels great,” he said.

He also praised Ishan Kishan for his leadership in his absence, highlighting the aggressive and fearless approach that the team has adopted this season. “He’s been fantastic. The team has played with the kind of intent we want, and that has been reflected in our results so far,” Cummins added.

Acknowledging the challenge of playing at a new venue, Cummins noted that reading pitch conditions would be crucial. “We know our home conditions well, but away games are always about quickly adapting and figuring out a competitive score. Since it’s the first game of the season here, it’s a challenge for both teams,” he said.

Rajasthan Royals skipper Parag admitted that he would have preferred to bowl first as well but remained confident about his team’s ability to set a strong total. “We were looking to bowl too, but we’re comfortable batting first. We know this wicket well, having trained here. There might be some dew later, but not too much. Our focus is on putting together a complete performance,” he said.

Parag also emphasised the need for contributions from the middle order, stating that the team aims to deliver a solid collective effort across both innings.

The Royals’ batting lineup features key players such as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shimron Hetmyer, and Dhruv Jurel, while their bowling attack is spearheaded by Jofra Archer and Tushar Deshpande.

Sunrisers Hyderabad, meanwhile, boast a strong lineup with players like Heinrich Klaasen, Abhishek Sharma, and Nitish Kumar Reddy, supported by Cummins’ leadership and pace bowling.

With both teams in strong form and eyeing crucial points in the league stage, the match promises to be a closely contested encounter. The conditions, team strategies, and execution under pressure are likely to play decisive roles as the IPL 2026 season continues to deliver thrilling contests.

Playing XIs:

Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel(wk), Riyan Parag(c), Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Tushar Deshpande, Brijesh Sharma, Nandre Burger

Impact substitutes: Ravi Bishnoi, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Ravi Singh, Shubham Dubey, Sandeep Sharma.

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora(wk), Pat Cummins (C), Aniket Verma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivang Kumar, Sakib Hussain, Eshan Malinga, Praful Hinge

Impact substitutes: Travis Head, Smaran Ravichandran, Harsh Dubey, Liam Livingstone, Harshal Patel