IPL 2026 Today's Match: RCB vs DC playing 11, batters vs bowlers matchups

Axar Patel-led DC will be hoping to break into the top four in the points table with a win over defending champions RCB in Bengaluru

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will aim to reclaim the top spot when they host Delhi Capitals (DC) in Match 26 of the Indian Premier League 2026 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium today. Delhi Capitals skipper Axar Patel has won the toss and elected to bowl first on the day

 

RCB have looked well-balanced in their title defence, barring a minor slip against Rajasthan Royals. Their opening duo of Phil Salt and Virat Kohli has provided consistent starts, while Devdutt Padikkal and captain Rajat Patidar have ensured stability in the middle order. The bowling unit, featuring both reliable pacers and effective spinners, has complemented the batting effort, making RCB one of the most complete sides this season.

 

Delhi Capitals, meanwhile, have lost momentum after back-to-back wins early on. Two consecutive defeats have pushed them down the table, and they now face a crucial phase. DC will need a collective effort with both bat and ball to challenge a confident RCB outfit.

 

But before the two sides finally take the ground, let’s take a look at the captaincy record of both skippers, their expected playing 11 combination, and key player match-ups for the game. 

Rajat Patidar’s captaincy record in IPL (RCB)

• Matches: 21
• Wins: 15
• Losses: 6
• N/R: 0
• Win percentage: 71.40%

Axar Patel's captaincy record in IPL (DC)

• Matches: 18
• Wins: 9
• Losses: 8
• N/R: 1
• Win percentage: 50%

IPL 2026: RCB playing 11 vs DC

Royal Challengers Bengaluru have emerged as one of the most well-rounded sides in IPL 2026, with contributions flowing across departments. While Virat Kohli continues to lead the batting charts and hold the Orange Cap, the burden is no longer his alone. Skipper Rajat Patidar has been sensational, especially with his power-hitting, while Phil Salt and Devdutt Padikkal have added consistency at the top. Tim David provides late firepower. With the ball, Josh Hazlewood leads a disciplined attack, supported well by a unit that has adapted smartly to Chinnaswamy conditions.

 

Impact player: Josh Hazlewood

 

RCB squad for IPL 2026:

 

Rajat Patidar, Tim David, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Philip Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Jacob Bethell, Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, Abhinandan Singh, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Salam Dar, Suyash Sharma, Swapnil Singh, Yash Dayal, Nuwan Thushara, Venkatesh Iyer, Jacob Duffy, Mangesh Yadav, Jordan Cox, Vicky Ostwal, Vihaan Malhotra, Kanishk Chouhan, Satvik Deswal, Bhuvneshwar Kumar

IPL 2026: DC playing 11 vs RCB

Delhi Capitals are still searching for rhythm this season despite a squad filled with experienced names. Batters like KL Rahul, David Miller, and Pathum Nissanka have struggled for consistency, leaving the team overly reliant on young Sameer Rizvi, who has shown promise with two half-centuries.

 

Captain Axar Patel has endured a lean run with both bat and ball. The bowling unit, too, has been inconsistent, with Kuldeep Yadav failing to make an impact and pacers like Mukesh Kumar and T Natarajan unable to deliver regularly.

 

Delhi Capitals playing 11: Pathum Nissanka, KL Rahul (w), Sameer Rizvi, Axar Patel (c), David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Auqib Nabi Dar, Lungi Ngidi, Kuldeep Yadav, T Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar

 

Impact player: Ashutosh Sharma

 

DC squad for IPL 2026:

 

Abishek Porel, Karun Nair, KL Rahul, Nitish Rana, Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Ashutosh Sharma, Dushmantha Chameera, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Tripurana Vijay, David Miller, Ben Duckett, Auqib Nabi Dar, Pathum Nissanka, Lungi Ngidi, Prithvi Shaw, Kyle Jamieson, Ajay Jadav Mandal, Madhav Tiwari, T Natarajan, Sahil Parakh

IPL 2026: RCB vs DC key player battles

RCB batters vs DC bowlers

 

Batter (RCB)	Bowler (DC)	Inns	Runs	Outs	SR	Avg
Virat Kohli	T Natarajan	6	54	1	169	54
Virat Kohli	Kuldeep Yadav	7	75	1	117	75
Virat Kohli	Dushmantha Chameera	4	25	2	104	12.5
Virat Kohli	Axar Patel	13	97	1	113	97
Phil Salt	Lungi Ngidi	4	31	2	148	15.5
Phil Salt	Axar Patel	4	18	2	113	9
Devdutt Padikkal	T Natarajan	5	83	0	189	-
Devdutt Padikkal	Axar Patel	5	40	1	167	40
Rajat Patidar	Axar Patel	4	31	1	163	31
Venkatesh Iyer	T Natarajan	4	29	2	223	14.5
Venkatesh Iyer	Axar Patel	5	26	2	113	13
Tim David	Mukesh Kumar	3	50	1	357	50
Tim David	T Natarajan	2	47	0	294	-
Tim David	Axar Patel	11	58	2	132	29
Jitesh Sharma	Kuldeep Yadav	4	31	2	111	15.5
Jitesh Sharma	Axar Patel	3	13	2	87	6.5
Krunal Pandya	Mukesh Kumar	5	43	1	172	43
Krunal Pandya	Kuldeep Yadav	5	34	1	103	34
Krunal Pandya	Axar Patel	6	35	0	117	-

 

DC batters vs RCB bowlers

 

Batter (DC)	Bowler (RCB)	Inns	Runs	Outs	SR	Avg
Pathum Nissanka	Josh Hazlewood	7	33	0	79	-
Pathum Nissanka	Bhuvneshwar Kumar	3	21	2	95	10.5
KL Rahul	Suyash Sharma	2	16	0	62	-
KL Rahul	Josh Hazlewood	9	113	2	166	56.5
KL Rahul	Bhuvneshwar Kumar	11	109	2	110	54.5
KL Rahul	Krunal Pandya	10	98	0	107	-
David Miller	Bhuvneshwar Kumar	8	50	1	152	50
David Miller	Romario Shepherd	8	58	1	171	58
Tristan Stubbs	Romario Shepherd	5	63	1	191	63
Axar Patel	Josh Hazlewood	5	15	1	100	15
Axar Patel	Bhuvneshwar Kumar	11	60	2	176	30
Axar Patel	Krunal Pandya	5	17	0	121	-

 

---

Check IPL 2026 latest news and statistical video highlights of the day here Check IPL 2026 full schedule here Check IPL 2026 points table here