Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will be desperate to return to winning ways after being handed a crushing defeat by RR in their previous game. However, the task won’t be an easy one as they will lock horns with a formidable Mumbai Indians on Sunday in the second game of the double-header. RCB are currently sitting in the top-half of the IPL 2026 points table, having beaten CSK and SRH by comfortable margins.
Talking about RCB’s playing XI, the team is unlikely to make any changes to their team combination. The team is known for sticking with the same winning side over the last two seasons, since it has worked in their favour and experimentation is not their forte. However, RCB could make one possible change for the game against MI
Predicted RCB playing XI vs RR
Virat Kohli, Phil Salt✈️, Venkatesh Iyer, Rajat Patidar (c), Tim David✈️, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Romario Shepherd✈️, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood✈️, Abhinandan Singh
Impact Subs: Suyash Sharma, Devdutt Padikkal, Rasikh Salam Dar, Kanishk Chouhan, Jacob Bethell✈️
While the opening pair of Virat Kohli and Phil Salt will stay unchanged, RCB will want to maybe use Venkatesh Iyer as their number 3 instead of Devdutt Padikkal against MI. The Rs 7 crore buy sizzled in the previous game against RR, scoring 29 runs while coming in as an impact player. The southpaw has a great record against Mumbai Indians, having amassed 365 runs in 7 matches at a strike rate of 160.08 and an average of 60.83.
Padikkal, on the other hand, has managed to score 189 runs from 8 matches against MI, with a strike rate of 136.95 and an average of 23.62. Given that Iyer has a better record against Padikkal when it comes to facing Mumbai Indians, RCB could be tempted to use the former at number 3. Of course, this doesn’t mean that Padikkal will be benched. He could potentially be used as an impact player, just like how RCB used Venky in the previous when they found themselves in a dire situation.
All eyes on Josh Hazlewood
Hazlewood’s return to RCB didn’t go as planned, as he was slammed for 44 runs from his 4 overs despite picking 2 wickets. He will be crucial for RCB’s success against MI at the Wankhede Stadium. The Australian pacer finished as RCB’s leading wicket-taker in IPL 2025, with 22 wickets from 12 matches. At the iconic venue, Hazlewood has taken 9 wickets from 5 matches, with a best of 3/28 and an average of 17. Against MI, he has played 2 matches in Mumbai, where he managed to bag as many wickets.
In the absence of Yash Dayal, Abhinandan Singh has been tasked to serve as second fiddle to Bhuvneshwar Kumar. There will be a lot of pressure on the youngster, especially since he was hammered for 54 runs in the previous game. Krunal Pandya will also have a crucial role to play with the ball, given his familiarity with both the venue and the opposition.
RCB squad for IPL 2026
Virat Kohli, Philip Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar(c), Jitesh Sharma(w), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Abhinandan Singh, Jacob Duffy, Suyash Sharma, Jacob Bethell, Rasikh Salam Dar, Kanishk Chouhan, Venkatesh Iyer, Josh Hazlewood, Mangesh Yadav, Swapnil Singh, Jordan Cox, Vicky Ostwal, Vihaan Malhotra, Satvik Deswal
