SRH vs RCB preview: Hyderabad and Bengaluru clash for Top 2 spots; check head-to-head, pitch report, more

Sunrisers Hyderabad will host Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Friday, 22 May. The match starts at 7:30 PM IST.

This is a top-of-the-table clash. The teams still trying to qualify for the playoffs won’t be interested in this match, though. RCB are at 18 points while SRH are at 16. RCB may still end up in the Top 2 even with a loss as Virat Kohli’s team has a superior Net Run Rate (+1.065).

If Hyderabad lose this match, Gujarat and Bengaluru will be in the Top 2. A win here will take the Sunrisers to 18 points, along with the other two. Then, NRR will decide the Top 2. So, SRH need a big win over here.

The venue has a seating capacity of approximately 39,200. It hosted the IPL finals in 2017 and 2019.

RCB's highest team total against SRH is 262. Their lowest is a poor 68. SRH have scored as high as 287 against RCB. Their lowest against RCB is 125.

The last meeting was on 28 March this year. RCB won that opening match of the season by 6 wickets. In 2025, SRH won by 42 runs.

The most iconic clash was the 2016 IPL final. SRH won by 8 runs to claim their first-ever title.

For Bengaluru, Virat Kohli leads all run-scorers in this fixture with 805 runs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who has played for both teams) is the top wicket-taker with 19 dismissals. This remains one of the IPL's most competitive rivalries.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Venkatesh Iyer, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Tim David, Jitesh Sharma, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rasikh Salam, Josh Hazlewood, Jacob Duffy (Impact Player).

Patidar took a helmet blow during the KKR match. RCB's Director of Cricket, Mo Bobat, confirmed that he has fully recovered. Patidar has trained ahead of the fixture and will resume captaincy. Stand-in skipper Jitesh Sharma will step back into a regular role.

English opener Phil Salt remains doubtful for the clash. He has been sidelined for over a month with no official update on his return.

SRH head into the match with no injury concerns. Their full squad is available and fit. Pat Cummins, who missed the season opener against RCB, is back leading the attack.

SRH's bowling unit is notably stronger than it was in the earlier meeting. Both teams appear motivated to secure a top-two finish.

Abhishek Sharma (SRH): The explosive opener has smashed 507 runs at a stunning strike rate of 201.99. He has scored 46 fours and 38 sixes in this IPL so far.

Virat Kohli (RCB): RCB's leading run-scorer has accumulated 542 runs with remarkable consistency. He enters this match fresh off a century and a half-century.

Devdutt Padikkal (RCB): Padikkal has scored 412 runs this season. He destroyed SRH with a rapid 26-ball 61 in the season opener.

Eshan Malinga (SRH): The young Sri Lankan pacer leads SRH's attack with 17 wickets so far. His strike rate of 16.35 makes him dangerous against any team.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar (RCB): The veteran swings against his former team with 24 wickets in 13 games. He currently leads the entire IPL bowling charts.

The Hyderabad surface is a batting paradise. True bounce and a fast outfield allow stroke-makers to score freely. Par first-innings scores typically range between 175 and 185.

However, explosive lineups regularly push past 200. Fast bowlers may find early swing under lights. Spinners tend to come into play during the middle overs.

Significant dew is expected during the second innings. This makes chasing highly advantageous at this ground. The ball becomes slippery for bowlers and easier to hit. Expect the toss winner to bowl first.

Table-toppers clash for the Top 2 spots. If SRH win, there’s every possibility that these two teams will end up on top. But, thanks to a massive 89-run win against CSK, the Gujarat Titans also have a healthy NRR.

Losing this match may push RCB to the Number 3 spot. So, there is still a lot at stake. Expect a proper battle.