In a significant development for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), captain Pat Cummins returned to lead the side and elected to field first after winning the toss against Rajasthan Royals in their IPL 2026 match in Jaipur on Saturday.
Cummins on Toss Decision and Team Changes
"We are going to have a bowl first. The wicket looks good, try and see what we have to chase down. I feel really fresh, it has been while, I have good preparation, body feels well," Cummins said at the toss. He praised Ishan Kishan, stating, "He's fantastic, four wins in the first 7 games, he played that SRH game - bold, fearless style of cricket."
Cummins also commented on the pitch: "We know the pitch really well in Hyderabad. This is the first game here for both teams, it will be a challenge. I come in for Madushanka. Hinge comes in for Harsh."
Riyan Parag's Reaction
Rajasthan Royals skipper Riyan Parag said, "We were looking to do that (bowling first) as well. But last couple of seasons we have not done well chasing, no problems batting first. We know the wicket really well. We had our camp here. There might be dew but it won't be too much. Last year we fell short by a couple of overs, just want to put a collective 40 overs. The middle order has to step up and the others."
Playing XIs
Sunrisers Hyderabad (Playing XI): Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora(w), Aniket Verma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Pat Cummins(c), Shivang Kumar, Sakib Hussain, Praful Hinge, Eshan Malinga
Rajasthan Royals (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel(w), Riyan Parag(c), Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Tushar Deshpande, Nandre Burger, Brijesh Sharma
Stay Updated with IPL 2026
Stay updated with the latest IPL Live Score, IPL news on Times of India. Follow the IPL Schedule, check the IPL Points Table, and track the race for the IPL Orange Cap and IPL Purple Cap.
About the Author
At TOI Sports Desk, reporters work around the clock to bring you comprehensive updates from the world of sports. Expect nuanced match reports, previews, and reviews, along with statistics-based technical analysis, the latest social media trends, and expert insights across cricket, football, tennis, badminton, hockey, motorsports, wrestling, boxing, shooting, athletics, and more.
