Picture Credit: BCCI
Rajasthan Royals (RR) won the toss and opted to field against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the 21st match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. Both sides entered the contest with two changes to their respective playing XIs.
After winning the toss, RR captain Riyan Parag said, “We will bowl first. This is a new pitch for us. It is being used for the first time this season. So, we expect it to be a bit slow at the start. We have chased down big totals here before. In 2024, we fell slightly short, so hopefully that won’t happen this time. We have made two changes in the team. Brijesh is out, and Tushar Deshpande has come in. Hetty (Shimron Hetmyer) has been rested, and Pretorius is making his debut.”
On the other hand, SRH captain Ishan Kishan said, “We have made two changes in our team. Praful Hinge has come in. I think I have been doing this role for quite a long time. I was the leader of the India Under-19 team, and I have also done this for my state team. Feel it makes you more aware of the situation and helps you focus better on the game. You try to contribute more to your team because it is never about an individual’s performance; it is always about teamwork. That is why we have done this. I think we are doing it in a very good way.”
Rajasthan Royals are aiming to continue their unbeaten run, having secured four consecutive wins to top the points table. Their victories include an eight-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings, a narrow six-run win against Gujarat Titans, a 27-run triumph over Mumbai Indians, and a six-wicket success against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Sunrisers Hyderabad, meanwhile, sit seventh after losing three of their four matches. After an opening defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru, they bounced back with a convincing win over Kolkata Knight Riders. Subsequent losses to Lucknow Super Giants and Punjab Kings have slowed their progress.
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper/captain), Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora, Aniket Verma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harsh Dubey, Shivang Kumar, Praful Hinge, Ishan Malinga.
Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), Riyan Parag (captain), Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Sandeep Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Tushar Deshpande.
Also Read: Feels Like We’re Scoring 200 Every Match: Rajat Patidar After RCB Beat MI
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