When Sunrisers Hyderabad slumped to defeat against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their IPL 2026 opener last month, it seemed they might struggle to stay in the playoff race. Nearly a month on, however, the picture has changed, with SRH staging a spirited comeback.
Heading into their clash against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur on Saturday at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, they will be confident of extending their winning run. Their cause is further strengthened by Pat Cummins’ return after a prolonged battle with a back injury. SRH might also have a psychological edge with the Royals having not beaten them in the last three years.
Rajasthan, on the other hand, need to tread carefully. Riyan Parag’s side began their campaign with three consecutive wins but then slipped with back-to-back defeats before bouncing back against Lucknow Super Giants. With teams below them closing in, the Royals will need to keep winning to solidify their position in the top four.
OVERRELIANCE ON TOP ORDER
Rajasthan Royals must be wary of their overreliance on the top three, as it could hurt them in the long run. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel and Yashasvi Jaiswal have been exceptional so far, but whenever they’ve failed, the Royals have come under pressure.
This vulnerability was first exposed in their 57-run defeat to the Sunrisers in Hyderabad. Against the Super Giants, the trio again fell short, but a lower-order effort helped them post 159 for six. Even then, the Royals were far from comfortable, relying on a strong bowling performance to seal the game.
With Sunrisers boasting a formidable batting unit, Rajasthan will need a more complete effort with the bat if they are to come out on top.
CUMMINS RETURNS TO BOOSTS HYDERABAD
The Sunrisers, meanwhile, will be boosted by the return of Pat Cummins. On Friday, Cummins confirmed his availability for the upcoming clash against Rajasthan Royals via an Instagram post. The Australian pacer has been struggling for around 10 months due to a back injury and had even returned to Australia during the IPL. However, he has now cleared his fitness test and is back in contention.
With Cummins returning, he is expected to take captaincy duties from Ishan Kishan, who has led the side impressively in his first stint as IPL captain. His return could also force Dilshan Madushanka, who featured as an Impact Sub against the Capitals, to sit out.
Beyond leadership, Cummins’ comeback strengthens Sunrisers’ lower-order batting as well. Back in 2022, Cummins hit a 14-ball fifty in the IPL and that shows his credentials as a batter. Players like Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain are also likely to benefit from sharing the dressing room and field experience with the experienced Australian.
JAIPUR: PITCH AND CONDITIONS
Jaipur will host its first match of the season, and a competitive contest is on the cards. The average IPL score at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium stands at around 167 from 64 matches. Chasing sides have enjoyed significant success here, winning 41 of those games, suggesting that captains may prefer to bowl first after winning the toss. Notably, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s blistering 35-ball century at this venue came in a chase.
Weather conditions are expected to remain clear, with no rain forecast. It will be a hot outing, with temperatures ranging between 35 and 37 degrees Celsius, while humidity levels are likely to remain comfortable.
RR vs SRH: HEAD-TO-HEAD
Sunrisers have held a slight edge over the Royals in the head-to-head, winning 13 of their 22 encounters. Rajasthan once led the rivalry 9-8, but have since slipped, losing their last five matches in a row against the Orange Army. Their most recent win over Sunrisers came in 2023, when they registered a 72-run victory in Hyderabad. In Jaipur, the rivalry remains evenly balanced, with both sides winning two matches each.
RR vs SRH: Predicted XI
RR Predicted XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Riyan Parag (c), Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Ravi Bishnoi, Brijesh Sharma, Nandre Burger
Impact Sub: Shubham Dubey
SRH Predicted XI: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen, (wk), Aniket Verma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Pat Cummins (C), Shivang Kumar, Harsh Dubey, Sakib Hussain, Eshan Malinga
Impact Sub: Salil Arora
