🏏IPL 2026: RCB vs KKR, 57th Match, at Raipur🏏

🏏IPL 2026: RCB vs KKR, 57th Match,

at Raipur🏏

Despite some hiccups and jitters, Royal Challengers Bengaluru have had a fairly smooth run in IPL 2026 so far, moving to the top of the table following their last-ball win against Mumbai Indians in Raipur. But to strengthen their push for a top-two finish, they will have to negotiate a Kolkata Knight Riders side that has found form at the business end of the tournament. KKR looked down and out not too long ago, managing only one point from their first six matches before stitching together four successive wins to revive their playoff hopes. In many ways, their resurgence echoes RCB's own turnaround in 2024, when they recovered from losing seven of their first eight games to enter the playoffs on the back of a remarkable second-half run.

KKR now seek inspiration from that template, leaning on a batting unit that has shown far greater intent and a bowling attack beginning to deliver collectively at the right time. For RCB, meanwhile, this is about maintaining their hold at the top and continuing the consistency that has made them one of the most complete sides of the season so far. Yet, there are signs of vulnerability within their batting group, particularly at the top of the order.

In Phil Salt's injury-enforced absence, Jacob Bethell hasn't made an impact across the last four matches while Virat Kohli's two successive ducks have forced the middle order into action far earlier than they would have ideally liked. Jitesh Sharma and Romario Shepherd have also struggled for runs, leaving RCB without the middle-order assurance that had been one of the defining features of their title-winning run last season. A stronger start and a smoother transition into the middle overs will be high on RCB's agenda as they look to avoid placing repeated rescue missions on the middle order.

For KKR, Varun Chakaravarthy's return to form has been one of the driving forces behind their resurgence, with the spinner picking up eight wickets in his last four games. But his availability for this crucial fixture appears uncertain after he injured himself while attempting to stop a shot from Ishan Kishan in the game against Sunrisers Hyderabad and was later seen limping through his fourth over against Delhi Capitals. Meanwhile, KKR's batting has been powered by a top order that has begun delivering consistently, including Finn Allen's unbeaten 47-ball century in the previous match. With the batting unit finally showing continuity and the bowling attack operating far more cohesively, KKR will believe they have given themselves a genuine chance of forcing their way back into the playoff race.

When: RCB vs KKR, Match 57 - Wednesday, May 13 at 7:30 PM IST

Where: Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur

What to expect: The pitch for the RCB-MI game was described as a challenging surface by Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Krunal Pandya, while MI head coach Mahela Jayawardene called it a sporting wicket that bowlers would enjoy. MI managed 166 and the game still went down to the final ball, underlining how even middling totals can produce compelling contests when there is assistance for the bowlers. Another similar surface could be in store, with anything in the 160-180 range likely to be viewed as a competitive total again.

Head to head: KKR have a 20-15 lead over RCB in matches involving the two sides. Since 2023, KKR have won four times and lost only once to RCB.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Injuries/unavailability: Salt is yet to recover fully from his finger injury, which means Bethell is set to continue at the top. Krunal Pandya suffered cramps toward the end of the match against MI but should be fit for the game, although he didn't participate in the practice session on Tuesday and chose to rest.

Meanwhile, RCB went about their batting session in the order of their batting lineup. There was one surprise with Venkatesh Iyer being the fifth to bat in the nets, followed by Jitesh Sharma and Tim David, while Romario Shepherd came out to bat only at the fag end of the session. This hints at the possibility of the former KKR all-rounder getting the nod for this game.

Tactics & Matchups: Bhuvneshwar Kumar has a positive matchup against Ajinkya Rahane, having dismissed the KKR captain seven times in 18 innings, while Krunal is also a good option with five dismissals. Josh Hazlewood has dismissed Allen twice in three innings, making this an interesting contest.

Probable XII: Virat Kohli, Jacob Bethell, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Venkatesh Iyer/Romario Shepherd, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam Dar/Jacob Duffy

Kolkata Knight Riders

Injuries/unavailability: Varun was present during practice and even bowled a bit, but not full tilt. He was later seen doing some stretches while spending the rest of the time sitting and chatting. "We've got our fingers crossed that he'll be available for tomorrow, but we're just not exactly sure," said Shane Watson on Varun. About Matheesha Pathirana, he added: "Pathirana continues to push his case. He's fit and ready to go. Just with the way our team's been set up, it's been obviously hard for him to get in the actual 11-12 to play."

Tactics & Matchups: Virat Kohli has scored 1021 runs against KKR in the IPL, including seven fifties and a century, in 32 innings. Using Sunil Narine against him could serve KKR's purpose, considering the spinner has dismissed Kohli four times. Narine is also a good option against Devdutt Padikkal, having dismissed him twice in three innings, and also against Krunal and Shepherd, with three dismissals each.

Probable XII: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Finn Allen, Angkrish Raghuvanshi (wk), Cameron Green, Rovman Powell, Manish Pandey, Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Anukul Roy, Kartik Tyagi, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakaravarthy/Navdeep Saini

Did you know?

- The game against DC was the first time Finn Allen batted outside the Powerplay in IPL and the first instance of him facing 20+ balls in an innings in IPL 2026. Since 2024, Allen has struck at 218.33 beyond the 20th ball - the highest for any player in T20 cricket

- RCB's openers have combined for 332 runs in 11 innings so far this season, averaging 30.16 with a run-rate of 9.91, with only two fifty-plus stands. Last season, they contributed 682 runs at an average of 45.46 and a run-rate of 10.30, with seven fifty-plus stands

Big Picture - Hosts RCB favourites?

The sprint to the playoffs is nearing the final lap, the chequered flag is visible, and the scenario makes for interesting viewing.

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have been the pace-setters right through the league phase, but still have some work to do before breathing easy. With three games left, they're hunting for two more wins to feel comfortable. Even then, they could still miss out mathematically.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), champions from 2024, were slow off the blocks this season. But they've found a second wind in the back half of the league stage, and with four wins on the trot, have form on their side to make a back-door entry into the playoffs. With four games remaining and eight points still up for grabs, fate is still in their own hands, aided by the one washout point they had earned against Punjab Kings.

One glance at the points table and it's easy to declare hosts RCB favourites in Raipur, but Virat Kohli has not got off the mark in back-to-back innings. Romario Shepherd has not replicated his 2025 form either and Phil Salt still remains unavailable. After two defeats in a row, they needed some heroic batting from Krunal Pandya to get over the line against Mumbai Indians.

On the other hand, KKR come into the game with two emphatic wins - by eight and seven wickets respectively away from home. Sunil Narine has gone at only 6.51 an over, Finn Allen has finally begun to fire, Rinku Singh looks in fine touch, Cameron Green is stepping up, and their batting line-up has averaged just 4.5 dismissals per innings since their winning run began.

Their only worry right now is the fitness of Varun Chakravarthy, who has taken 10 wickets in his last five games, but hurt his foot in Delhi and was spotted at the team hotel walking with a stick.

This is the first meeting between the teams in IPL 2026. And even though neither side will secure qualification nor face elimination after the match, this game feels like one of those where two points are worth a little bit more.

Team news

Salt has not played for RCB since April 18, flying home after a finger injury he suffered against Delhi Capitals. He is yet to link up with the squad.

Changes seem unlikely for a team fresh off a win, but some bowling reinforcements could be handy against in-form KKR batting line-up. Could Jacob Duffy be the answer, in place of Shepherd? Suyash Sharma, too, has taken only three wickets in his last seven games. If RCB are comfortable playing just one spinner, then Venkatesh Iyer could be a bold choice against his former team, in place of Suyash.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Jacob Bethell, Virat Kohli, 3 Devdutt Padikkal, 4 Rajat Patidar (capt), 5 Jitesh Sharma (wk), 6 Krunal Pandya, 7 Tim David, 8 Romario Shepherd/Jacob Duffy, 9 Rasikh Salam, 10 Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 11 Josh Hazlewood, 12 Suyash Sharma

Shane Watson said Varun was "sore" and was being monitored. He was not spotted at training. If Varun is unfit, KKR have two options for a like-for-like swap: legspinner Prashant Solanki, who last played an IPL game in 2022, and spin-bowling allrounder Daksh Kamra, who is yet to play T20 cricket but his bowling is visually very similar to Varun's.

Manish Pandey has not yet had a chance to bat in the two games since his IPL return. He should keep his place. Matheesha Pathirana is fit, Watson said, and keeps "pushing for a case."

Kolkata Knight Riders: 1 Finn Allen, 2 Ajinkya Rahane (capt), 3 Angkrish Raghuvanshi, 4 Cameron Green, 5 Rinku Singh, 6 Manish Pandey, 7 Rovman Powell, 8 Sunil Narine, 9 Anukul Roy, 10 Kartik Tyagi, 11 Vaibhav Arora 12 Prashant Solanki / Daksh Kamra

In the spotlight

Virat Kohli, not long ago, was wearing the Orange Cap, but two ducks in a row - the second time in his IPL career and first since 2022 - has seen him slip to No. 13 on the runs leaderboard. His dip has come with RCB's top and middle order in a shaky state as well, with losses in two of the last three games. His last three dismissals were against the short ball to Rabada, a Test-match style delivery to Prince Yadav and a length ball mistimed to mid-off, off Deepak Chahar. Interestingly, Kohli scores faster with Bethell (strike-rate 169) than with Salt (strike-rate 140), carrying more of the attacking intent with his new opening partner.

Sunil Narine has produced some magical four-over spells this season: 1 for 17 against DC, 1 for 23 against LSG (apart from the super over) and 1 for 21 against CSK. He's not as prolific a wicket-taker as the other spin compatriots in the tournament, but his economy of 6.51 creates sustained pressure, which others have begun to capitalise on. His battle against Rajat Patidar is expected to be mouth-watering, and with potentially no Varun in the XII, KKR's eyes will be on him.

Pitch and conditions

After some rain last week, Raipur is back to being its usual - hot at 37 degrees and humid at 31%. The RCB vs MI game, the first IPL game since 2016 at the venue, was a final-over thriller. It swung early on and spinners had it easier in the first innings. It'll be the kind of surface where teams will have to make decisions intuitively, and both Patidar and Ajinkya Rahane will have to stay switched on.

Stats and trivia

• In RCB's losses, Josh Hazlewood has conceded 14.7 per over across nine overs in the powerplay. In RCB's wins, Hazlewood has conceded only 5.8 in nine overs.
• This is the fourth time Bhuvneshwar Kumar has taken 20-plus wickets in an IPL season. Only Yuzvendra Chahal has achieved it more times. Bhuvneshwar also has the second-highest powerplay wickets this season (12), second only to Kagiso Rabada.
• Across the IPL, Kohli has a strike-rate of only 105.42 against Narine while being out four times across 17 innings. Rajat Patidar, though, has hit three sixes in the 14 balls he has faced against Narine for a strike-rate of 185.71 and no dismissals.
• Finn Allen is one of only four batters (min. 7 innings) to have a 200+ strike-rate. He's at 205.88. The others above him are Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (236.55), Priyansh Arya (226.49) and Abhishek Sharma (210.17).