In the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) faced off against the Delhi Capitals (DC) at the iconic Chinnaswamy Stadium. This match marked RCB’s 100th game at their home ground, a notable milestone celebrated exactly 19 years after their inaugural match.
Match Overview
Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel won the toss and chose to bowl first. This decision was met with approval from RCB captain Rajat Patidar, who indicated that RCB would have preferred to bat in the afternoon heat.
Chasing Advantage
Historically, the Chinnaswamy Stadium has favored teams chasing targets. In the IPL 2026 season so far, two out of three matches conducted here resulted in victories for the teams that batted second.
Team Changes
- Delhi Capitals maintained the same lineup from their previous game against Chennai Super Kings.
- Newcomer Auqib Nabi, a seamer from Jammu & Kashmir, retained his position despite his modest debut.
- RCB also kept their winning team intact from the match against Lucknow Super Giants.
Impact Players
Both teams have talented players waiting in the wings. For Delhi Capitals, Ashutosh Sharma is poised to impact once they begin batting, while RCB’s Rasikh Salam Dar is expected to step in as an Impact Substitute for one of the specialist batters during their bowling innings.
Player Conditions and Performance
Virat Kohli, who recently played as an Impact Substitute for the first time, had been dealing with knee soreness prior to this match. Kohli did not feature in RCB’s starting XI against the Lucknow Super Giants. His fitness remained a topic of interest going into the clash.
Starting Lineups
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Delhi Capitals |
|---|---|
| 1. Virat Kohli | 1. Pathum Nissanka |
| 2. Phil Salt | 2. KL Rahul (wk) |
| 3. Devdutt Padikkal | 3. Sameer Rizvi |
| 4. Rajat Patidar (capt) | 4. Axar Patel (capt) |
| 5. Jitesh Sharma (wk) | 5. David Miller |
| 6. Tim David | 6. Tristan Stubbs |
| 7. Romario Shepherd | 7. Auqib Nabi |
| 8. Krunal Pandya | 8. Lungi Ngidi |
| 9. Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 9. Kuldeep Yadav |
| 10. Suyash Sharma | 10. T Natarajan |
| 11. Josh Hazlewood | 11. Mukesh Kumar |
This exciting contest between RCB and DC not only highlights each team’s strategies and player conditions but also emphasizes the significance of the Toss in determining match outcomes at Chinnaswamy Stadium. As RCB seeks the top spot, fans can expect a fiercely competitive game.
