Sunrisers Hyderabad captain Ishan Kishan attributed his team’s six-wicket loss in their IPL 2026 opening match to a loss of momentum during a vital period of their innings. Despite Kishan’s own aggressive 80 runs off 38 deliveries, SRH struggled early on, collapsing to 29 for three during the initial six-over powerplay. While his efforts helped the team reach a total of 201 for nine, consistent wicket-falling hindered them from achieving the higher score necessary on a flat M Chinnaswamy Stadium surface.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru successfully reached the target in 15.4 overs. Virat Kohli led the chase with a 69-ball 38, supported by Devdutt Padikkal’s rapid 61 off 26 balls.

Reflecting on the performance and the challenge of facing Kohli, Kishan stated:

“We did well after losing track, which gives a lot of confidence to us. You know, especially you have to give some credit to the batters as well, the way they batted, especially Virat bhai while chasing. It was very important to get his wicket as soon as possible. Otherwise, if he keeps on going, it’s hard to stop him.”

Looking Ahead

Kishan noted that while the team needs to ensure these errors are not repeated, he remained optimistic given it is the start of the tournament.

“We’ll have to work a little hard. It’s the first game and these mistakes are acceptable for now. We’ll be a little more cautious with the bowling, areas where we need to execute, and we might be stronger from this game.”

RCB’s Debut Success

RCB seamer Jacob Duffy made a significant impact in his debut, filling in for the injured Josh Hazlewood. Duffy claimed three wickets during his opening spell to stifle SRH early.

“Awesome, hell of a way to start the campaign. Great win. I am just keeping the big fellow’s (Hazlewood) seat warm. I just wanted to bowl the hard lengths, just keep the ball there. Even better that I got to walk off the field after seven overs. We talked about the lengths and stuff, what works here. Just build on what Josh did.”

Duffy also expressed relief at dismissing Abhishek Sharma, a player who has frequently challenged him in recent T20Is.

“I am sick of bowling to Abhishek for sure (jokes). Haven’t seen such bounce in India before as we saw here. But that was the case today. Rajat said you go and I happily obliged. When the ball is hard and new is the best time to bowl on this surface.”

Full Statement from Ishan Kishan

Regarding the match conditions and the team’s outlook, Kishan provided a comprehensive breakdown:

“I think definitely the wicket played well after the first 3 to 4 overs. You know, we lost a few early wickets, and we have to take care of that maybe next time because, looking at the wicket in the second innings, it was pretty much easier to bat on and the ball was coming on quite well. So yeah, we’ll have to be a little smart with the shot selection next time. But yeah, we did well after losing track, which gives a lot of confidence to us. You know, especially you have to give some credit to the batters as well, the way they batted, especially Virat Bhai while chasing. It’s very important to get his wicket as soon as possible. Otherwise, if he keeps on going, it’s hard to stop him. We’ll have to work a little hard. It’s the first game and these mistakes are acceptable for now. We’ll be a little more cautious with the bowling, areas where we need to execute, and we might be stronger from the next game. I actually enjoyed it a lot, you know, enjoyed every moment of it. It’s IPL, so sometimes nerves are there. But we’ll get better with this as a team. What else can I say about the captaincy? If we win the games coming ahead, it will be much easier for us going ahead in the tournament.”