IPL 2026: Season begins in Bengaluru with Kohli, Suryavanshi in focus, full schedule and key details

The 19th edition of the IPL begins on Saturday with Royal Challengers Bengaluru hosting Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, with the new season shaped by India’s recent T20 World Cup win and the events that followed last year’s final.

The opening match comes at the same venue where celebrations of Bengaluru’s first IPL title ended in tragedy. Eleven supporters aged between 14 and 29 died in a crush outside the stadium a day after the final. The franchise will leave 11 seats empty and players will wear black armbands.

The league resumes with the same venue, but with visible changes to mark the incident, while also beginning a new season that follows India’s T20 World Cup success.

Kohli leads title defence

Virat Kohli remains central to Bengaluru’s campaign after guiding the team to their maiden title on the 18th attempt last season. The 37-year-old has since retired from Tests and T20 internationals but continues in the IPL.

“He will be hungrier than ever, especially after lifting the IPL trophy last season,” former India pace bowler Irfan Pathan told host broadcaster JioHotstar.
“He will have the same kind of passion when he comes back this season. He will want to lift the trophy once again.”

Now based in London and active internationally only in 50-over cricket, Kohli continues to draw crowds in what is likely to be the later phase of his career.

Focus on Suryavanshi and young players

The season also brings attention to Rajasthan Royals opener Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who turns 15 on Friday and will open alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal.

He made his IPL debut last season at 14, hitting a six off his first ball and later scoring a 35-ball century, the second fastest in the league. He followed that with a performance in the Under-19 World Cup, scoring 175 off 80 balls in the final against England in Harare.

“There will be hype and pressure naturally,” said Rajasthan captain Riyan Parag.
“Jaiswal is more than capable of handling that. For Vaibhav, the role will be just to go, hit, and not to worry.”

The season will also feature players from India’s T20 World Cup-winning squad, including Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube. Samson, who scored 321 runs in India’s last three matches and was named player of the tournament, begins his first season with Chennai Super Kings.

Squads, absences and structure

All 10 teams will begin with Indian captains. Sunrisers Hyderabad will start with Ishan Kishan leading before Pat Cummins takes over once fit.

Cummins, along with Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, will miss the early part of the tournament due to fitness and workload management. England’s Ben Duckett has withdrawn to focus on international cricket, while Sam Curran has been ruled out.

At Chennai, MS Dhoni, 44, will continue to play under captain Ruturaj Gaikwad. Mumbai Indians will aim for a sixth title, while Gujarat Titans, led by Shubman Gill, will target another.

The league’s financial strength was underlined this week with Royal Challengers Bengaluru sold for $1.78 billion and Rajasthan Royals valued at $1.6 billion.

The final is scheduled for May 31, although only the initial set of fixtures has been confirmed due to elections in several Indian states.

IPL 2026 full league schedule

• Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Sunrisers Hyderabad — 28 Mar 2026, Sat, Bengaluru, 7:30 PM
  Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders — 29 Mar 2026, Sun, Mumbai, 7:30 PM
  Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings — 30 Mar 2026, Mon, Guwahati, 7:30 PM
  Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans — 31 Mar 2026, Tue, New Chandigarh, 7:30 PM
  Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals — 01 Apr 2026, Wed, Lucknow, 7:30 PM
  Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad — 02 Apr 2026, Thu, Kolkata, 7:30 PM
  Chennai Super Kings vs Punjab Kings — 03 Apr 2026, Fri, Chennai, 7:30 PM
  Delhi Capitals vs Mumbai Indians — 04 Apr 2026, Sat, Delhi, 3:30 PM
  Gujarat Titans vs Rajasthan Royals — 04 Apr 2026, Sat, Ahmedabad, 7:30 PM
  Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Lucknow Super Giants — 05 Apr 2026, Sun, Hyderabad, 3:30 PM
  Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings — 05 Apr 2026, Sun, Bengaluru, 7:30 PM
  Kolkata Knight Riders vs Punjab Kings — 06 Apr 2026, Mon, Kolkata, 7:30 PM
  Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians — 07 Apr 2026, Tue, Guwahati, 7:30 PM
  Delhi Capitals vs Gujarat Titans — 08 Apr 2026, Wed, Delhi, 7:30 PM
  Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants — 09 Apr 2026, Thu, Kolkata, 7:30 PM
  Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru — 10 Apr 2026, Fri, Guwahati, 7:30 PM
  Punjab Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad — 11 Apr 2026, Sat, New Chandigarh, 3:30 PM
  Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Capitals — 11 Apr 2026, Sat, Chennai, 7:30 PM
  Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans — 12 Apr 2026, Sun, Lucknow, 3:30 PM
  Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru — 12 Apr 2026, Sun, Mumbai, 7:30 PM
  Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals — 13 Apr 2026, Mon, Hyderabad, 7:30 PM
  Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders — 14 Apr 2026, Tue, Chennai, 7:30 PM
  Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Lucknow Super Giants — 15 Apr 2026, Wed, Bengaluru, 7:30 PM
  Mumbai Indians vs Punjab Kings — 16 Apr 2026, Thu, Mumbai, 7:30 PM
  Gujarat Titans vs Kolkata Knight Riders — 17 Apr 2026, Fri, Ahmedabad, 7:30 PM
  Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Delhi Capitals — 18 Apr 2026, Sat, Bengaluru, 3:30 PM
  Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Chennai Super Kings — 18 Apr 2026, Sat, Hyderabad, 7:30 PM
  Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals — 19 Apr 2026, Sun, Kolkata, 3:30 PM
  Punjab Kings vs Lucknow Super Giants — 19 Apr 2026, Sun, New Chandigarh, 7:30 PM
  Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians — 20 Apr 2026, Mon, Ahmedabad, 7:30 PM
  Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Delhi Capitals — 21 Apr 2026, Tue, Hyderabad, 7:30 PM
  Lucknow Super Giants vs Rajasthan Royals — 22 Apr 2026, Wed, Lucknow, 7:30 PM
  Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings — 23 Apr 2026, Thu, Mumbai, 7:30 PM
  Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Gujarat Titans — 24 Apr 2026, Fri, Bengaluru, 7:30 PM
  Delhi Capitals vs Punjab Kings — 25 Apr 2026, Sat, Delhi, 3:30 PM
  Rajasthan Royals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad — 25 Apr 2026, Sat, Jaipur, 7:30 PM
  Gujarat Titans vs Chennai Super Kings — 26 Apr 2026, Sun, Ahmedabad, 3:30 PM
  Lucknow Super Giants vs Kolkata Knight Riders — 26 Apr 2026, Sun, Lucknow, 7:30 PM
  Delhi Capitals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru — 27 Apr 2026, Mon, Delhi, 7:30 PM
  Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals — 28 Apr 2026, Tue, New Chandigarh, 7:30 PM
  Mumbai Indians vs Sunrisers Hyderabad — 29 Apr 2026, Wed, Mumbai, 7:30 PM
  Gujarat Titans vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru — 30 Apr 2026, Thu, Ahmedabad, 7:30 PM
  Rajasthan Royals vs Delhi Capitals — 01 May 2026, Fri, Jaipur, 7:30 PM
  Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians — 02 May 2026, Sat, Chennai, 7:30 PM
  Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Kolkata Knight Riders — 03 May 2026, Sun, Hyderabad, 3:30 PM
  Gujarat Titans vs Punjab Kings — 03 May 2026, Sun, Ahmedabad, 7:30 PM
  Mumbai Indians vs Lucknow Super Giants — 04 May 2026, Mon, Mumbai, 7:30 PM
  Delhi Capitals vs Chennai Super Kings — 05 May 2026, Tue, Delhi, 7:30 PM
  Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Punjab Kings — 06 May 2026, Wed, Hyderabad, 7:30 PM
  Lucknow Super Giants vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru — 07 May 2026, Thu, Lucknow, 7:30 PM
  Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders — 08 May 2026, Fri, Delhi, 7:30 PM
  Rajasthan Royals vs Gujarat Titans — 09 May 2026, Sat, Jaipur, 7:30 PM
  Chennai Super Kings vs Lucknow Super Giants — 10 May 2026, Sun, Chennai, 3:30 PM
  Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Mumbai Indians — 10 May 2026, Sun, Raipur, 7:30 PM
  Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals — 11 May 2026, Mon, Dharamshala, 7:30 PM
  Gujarat Titans vs Sunrisers Hyderabad — 12 May 2026, Tue, Ahmedabad, 7:30 PM
  Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Kolkata Knight Riders — 13 May 2026, Wed, Raipur, 7:30 PM
  Punjab Kings vs Mumbai Indians — 14 May 2026, Thu, Dharamshala, 7:30 PM
  Lucknow Super Giants vs Chennai Super Kings — 15 May 2026, Fri, Lucknow, 7:30 PM
  Kolkata Knight Riders vs Gujarat Titans — 16 May 2026, Sat, Kolkata, 7:30 PM
  Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru — 17 May 2026, Sun, Dharamshala, 3:30 PM
  Delhi Capitals vs Rajasthan Royals — 17 May 2026, Sun, Delhi, 7:30 PM
  Chennai Super Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad — 18 May 2026, Mon, Chennai, 7:30 PM
  Rajasthan Royals vs Lucknow Super Giants — 19 May 2026, Tue, Jaipur, 7:30 PM
  Kolkata Knight Riders vs Mumbai Indians — 20 May 2026, Wed, Kolkata, 7:30 PM
  Chennai Super Kings vs Gujarat Titans — 21 May 2026, Thu, Chennai, 7:30 PM
  Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru — 22 May 2026, Fri, Hyderabad, 7:30 PM
  Lucknow Super Giants vs Punjab Kings — 23 May 2026, Sat, Lucknow, 7:30 PM
  Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals — 24 May 2026, Sun, Mumbai, 3:30 PM
  Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Capitals — 24 May 2026, Sun, Kolkata, 7:30 PM

(With inputs from agencies)