IPL 2026: RR vs SRH, Match 36 – Top player battles to watch out for

The Rajasthan Royals (RR) return to their official home ground at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur to take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Match 36 of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) season on Saturday, April 25.

RR will be looking to get the record straight against SRH after suffering defeat to them at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium by 57 runs earlier this month. The game is now known for being the emergence of Sakib Hussain and Pragul Hinge, with the debutants taking four wickets each to dismantle the 2008 champions. 

Both RR and SRH come into the game on the back of wins. The hosts secured a comfortable 40-run victory over the Lucknow Super Giants, while the Sunrisers defeated the Delhi Capitals on home soil.

The two sides have exciting batters in their ranks and quality bowling to challenge the best. RR have the most destructive opening combination in the tournament, while SRH have had a resurgence in their bowling, with Pat Cummins also close to making a comeback. The visitors’ batters will also face an in-form Jofra Archer, who is coming off a three-wicket haul against LSG.

Here are 3 player battles for RR vs SRH, Match 36 of IPL 2026:

3. Yashasvi Jaiswal vs Sakib Hussain

Sakib Hussain made a grand announcement on the big stage last time when these two sides met, by taking the crucial wicket of Yashasvi Jaiswal in his first over. The duo will once again face off against one another in the opening stages of the innings. 

Hussain has since taken two more wickets in the tournament. Jaiswal, meanwhile, has scored 245 runs in seven games this season, averaging 49 and hitting at a strike-rate of 155.06.

2. Heinrich Klaasen vs Ravi Bishnoi

The record suggests that Heinrich Klaasen vs Ravi Bishnoi is a one-sided affair, with the South African dominating the spinner. The duo have faced thrice in the history of IPL, with the right-handed batter scoring 42 runs from 20 balls without getting dismissed. 

Bishnoi, however, is currently having a resurgence with the ball and has taken 11 wickets from seven matches. Klaasen, meanwhile, is the tournament’s second-highest runs-scorer this season, with 320 runs at an average of 53.33.

1. Abhishek Sharma vs Jofra Archer

Jofra Archer got the better of Abhishek Sharma on the very first ball in the previous game. That was the only ball the left-hander had faced from the English fast bowler in the IPL.

This player battle could very well determine the winner of the whole match. Once Abhishek gets going, it is hard to keep him quiet. The opener is currently the holder of the Orange Cap and is striking at 215.33 this season. Archer, on the other hand, has taken 11 wickets and is RR’s joint-highest wicket-taker along with Bishnoi.