India, March 28 -- The stage is set for the battle of the heavyweights in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 opener. Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are all ready to face Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) as competitive cricket finally returns to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The uber-popular venue in Bengaluru hasn't witnessed any sort of cricket game after the stampede last year, where 11 people lost their lives during RCB's victory celebrations. However, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) put in the hard yards to get the sport back to the venue.

The contest will mark the return of Virat Kohli after the ODI series against New Zealand. The right-handed batter who has his eyes firmly set on the 2027 ODI World Cup...