NEW DELHI: IPL 2026 is just around the corner with the opening match between defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. RCB will be led by Rajat Patidar while Ishan Kishan will captain SRH.RCB will also wear black armbands during the match against SRH to pay tribute to the fans who tragically lost their lives in the stampede outside the venue after the team’s historic title win last year.
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RCB’s big changes ahead of IPL: New rules, tribute and squad updateAn RCB statement said, “Royal Challengers Bengaluru will pay tribute to the eleven members of the RCB family who tragically lost their lives in an unfortunate incident on June 4.”“As a mark of respect, players will wear practice jerseys with the number 11 during warm-ups, followed by black armbands during the match.”“As a permanent gesture of remembrance, eleven seats at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium will remain vacant and serve as a lasting tribute to the fans, whose unwavering support will always be part of the RCB family,” the statement concluded.Eleven people died and several were injured in a stampede outside the stadium during last year’s victory celebrations.‘Kohli incredibly hungry’Virat Kohli is hungry and at the “peak of his powers” and his IPL team RCB is ready to launch its title defence, coach Andy Flower has said.Retired from international Tests and T20s, former captain Kohli now represents India only in the 50-over format.“Virat is in a really good space mentally,” Flower told reporters.“He’s very happy with himself but he’s still incredibly hungry and watching him hit the ball in training he looks at the top of his game.”“Obviously it was very satisfying professionally for everyone, but at the end of last season it was a really emotional time for all sorts of reasons,” Flower told reporters.“It’s a different time, so it’s time to move on.
