Rajasthan Royals (RR) have the most explosive openers of IPL 2026. They are closely followed by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), who have the most explosive top three, again, followed closely by RR. A lot of the tactics will naturally revolve around containing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head and Ishan Kishan. Here's some.
Tall bowlers, into the pitch
Mohsin Khan was the only bowler to have drawn any respect out of Sooryavanshi this season. And SRH could build on that. Pat Cummins and Eshan Malinga are both tall, like going into the pitch and can bowl cutters. Even though Mohsin's angle brought the ball in and cramped Sooryavanshi, there is benefit to be had by angling a short ball across him and make him drag the pull or hook. Or go the upper-cut or ramp, which so far he has not shown a great propensity to play.
With Jaiswal, they can do the same but start straighter, which is how Malinga got him out in Jaipur and Sakib Hussain did in Hyderabad. The big square boundaries in New Chandigarh should assist this style of bowling.
Archer or bust
RR will need Jofra Archer at his best, if they are to entertain thoughts of restricting Head and Abhishek.
It is a pretty hectic match-up so far: the pair have scored quickly off Archer but also got out four times in 68 balls, including Abhishek in the first league match between the two and Head in the reverse fixture.
The bowling style that works against them is the same, and also comes naturally to Archer: over the wicket, pitch around about the blind spot just outside leg on a good length or just short, and then get his natural movement away towards off. Given RR's reliance on Archer, it might not be a bad idea for SRH to see off his first over.
RR should consider bowling an over of Donovan Ferreira especially if Archer gets off to a tight wicketless start.
A role for Punja
In the two fixtures between these teams in IPL 2026, Ravindra Jadeja has bowled only one over. Reason: one of the three left-hand batters in the top three has batted deep into the innings. Even the legspinner Ravi Bishnoi, who is otherwise good against left-hand batters, has bowled only four overs in the two matches.
It is worth using Nandre Burger in the middle overs, especially against Heinrich Klaasen - and even Ferreira if two left-hand batters are at the wicket - but there is a big role for the young Yash Raj Punja, who has been their best spinner with eight wickets and an economy of just 8.79.
Punja has taken out three left-hand batters at 8.1 an over. It is going to be a daunting task to bowl at Klaasen, who has been good against all kinds of spin, but if he slows it down and turns the ball, even Klaasen can be contained. Over the last two years, only Yuzvendra Chahal among legspinners has a good economy against Klaasen. Punja likes to push batters back, but against Klaasen he might have to be braver.
Slower balls galore against RR middle order
As always, SRH will look to reverse the ball. But New Chandigarh is not as barren as their home ground in Hyderabad. However, they will bowl a lot of cutters once they get past Sooryavanshi and Jaiswal not only because they are good at it but also because the RR middle order can be shut down with cutters.
The slower cutters are a good choice for Dhruv Jurel, Ferreira, Dasun Shanaka and Shimron Hetmyer, but they have got to watch out against bowling that to Riyan Parag, who has been good at picking the slower ones and will be the absolute key to RR's progress in the middle overs.
In the last two IPLs, Parag has faced 29 balls of left-arm wristspin for 39 runs and one dismissal. Even though he hasn't faced Shivang Kumar yet, it could be a key contest, if SRH can push Parag to have no choice but to hit against the left-hand wristspinner.