Rajasthan Royals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, 36th Match, Indian Premier League 2026 - CommentaryRR vs SRH, 36th Match, Indian Premier League 2026 - Commentary

Four in a row now for SRH this season and they join two other teams on 10 points. RR meanwhile have suffered their 3rd loss in 4 games after winning four in a row. Slight concerns for them. The points table is nicely gaining steam as we go along. Time for us to end things here. Saturday's double-header is done. Sunday's is to come. We will be there nice and early. Do join us then. For now it's bye bye.

Ishan Kishan | Player of the Match: "No, I think as a wicketkeeper also you've got to do the same job. So I was just keeping it simple because I felt, that it's a very good wicket to bat on and, we just tried to restrict them under 230 and we were able to do that. So yeah. (on giving captaincy back to Cummins) It was quite fun, leading the side for seven games and, Pat coming in, giving us that extra bowling power. So I was very happy when he was coming in the team anyway because he's a tremendous captain anyway. So I was just thinking about my batting and wicketkeeping more than leadership. (tremendous record against RR for you) It's just that you have to keep on watching the ball and play your shots. You know, you can't get into a zone where you have a fear of failure when you're doubting yourself or something. You just have to keep it simple and play your game. (on facing Archer) I think it was pretty quick and it got a little extra bounce than what I expected, but yeah, I'm happy to get six runs out of it. Sometimes, you know, I think fortune always favors the brave. So you just have to watch the ball and keep on going. I think that was a good morning session for me. (belief when chasing such a big score) I think we were pretty calm and the most important thing when you're chasing a total like 228 is you need a good powerplay first of all. And having Head and Abhishek as an opener, they make the job pretty easier for rest of the batsmen, even if they bat for four overs. So I was just batting with them, communicating with Abhishek. He was well aware of the game, what's happening, what run-rate is going on. So I was just playing my shots and we both, I think, did a great partnership in the middle, which helped our team. (where does the calmness come from?) Yeah, I think calmness is about, the skillset is always there. You have to be in good headspace. It's about just watching the ball and not being predetermined about what shots we have to play. So I was just thinking like, let's just watch the ball. It's a big ground. I'll get some more gaps, big gaps. I think bigger ground means you'll always get big gaps. So, when the ball is not there, maybe you can push it in the gap and you keep the run-rate going. So that was the job and I think it was a pretty good wicket. Not much thinking to do, just bat, just bat and just enjoy. (is this the best you have batted recently?) No, I think my best is yet to come."

Pat Cummins | SRH captain: "Yeah, that's right. No, really happy. You are never quite sure how it's gonna come out first game, but preparation was good. And yeah, I think I've played enough for maybe pick it up a bit earlier than I was when you know 10 years ago when I first started. (where do the bowlers go with such high scores?) I don't know. Start working on our batting. It's incredible cricket. I mean, the good thing is it's so high scoring that you do feel like even if you have a couple of bad overs or a couple of big overs, someone like, Praful, you can bounce back and have a real impact on the game. So just the way T20 cricket's going, it's good fun. (on the young bowlers in the side) Yeah awesome. Ishan led them beautifully. Obviously we've got Harshal and Jaydev who started the season as well. So I feel like we've got a good dugout there full of bowlers but the young guys have been awesome. They've got really clear plans and executed well. (thoughts at the halfway stage) Yeah, quite calm. I think it could have got away from us and gone up to 250. So 220, get ahead of it in the first six overs and hopefully it's only 10 off so an over which Ishan and these guys eat up pretty quickly at the moment. So very calm and confident group and yeah, really good win."

Stats by Shashikant Singh

Highest successful IPL run-chases
265 - PBKS vs DC, Delhi, 2026
262 - PBKS vs KKR, Kolkata, 2024
246 - SRH vs PBKS, Hyderabad, 2025
229 - SRH vs RR, Jaipur, 2026*
228 - RCB vs LSG, Lucknow, 2025

This is also the highest target successfully chased at Jaipur in IPL, surpassing 215 by SRH vs RR in 2023.

Most times successfully chasing 200-plus in IPL
11 - PBKS
6 - MI
5 - RR
5 - RCB
5 - SRH*

Most consecutive wins vs RR in the IPL
6 - CSK (2010-2013)
6* - SRH (2023-2026)
5 - RCB (2019-2022)
5 - DC (2018-2020)

Abhishek Sharma: "I mean, of course, it's always great to be on the winning side and of course, after that, contributing for your team. And it's just, I had my chances today. It's just a lucky day for me, I guess. But still, I feel the pitch, the way it was playing, I think they were, I wouldn't say they were short 15 runs, but still, I think they would have got 15-20 runs more. (on facing Archer) I mean, bowler like Jofra and Burger, if they're bowling to you and, if you're wanting you to, they'll give you a normal or just boundary ball, that would be foolish from my side. So I just wanted to, create a room or probably anything just to trouble them with the length and line a bit. And that was the plan and that's what me and Ishan wanted to do, especially with the new ball. (confidence-booster after such a chase) Of course, I feel so. Once you achieve this kind of score and the way the team is playing, the top batters are performing in those powerplays and the way bowling side is coming back after that powerplay, I think it's a sign of a winning side probably. And I mean, you can feel that confidence in the team when we are even chatting and just sitting at the dressing room. It's not that old team probably. And I feel the way the bowlers are contributing, that's very important. Once the batters are in form or probably they're scoring some runs, you need the bowlers to just execute their plans. (on Cummins coming back) I mean, I think he's..., I mean, Patty always knew that he's gonna come and lead the side. Of course, he's the leader, but the way Ishan did in those seven matches, I just didn't feel that we're missing someone. But of course, Patty comes there and give you that extra experience in a side and the way he bowls in those crucial overs, it's always give you an extra confidence. (on playing the next one at Wankhede) I mean, I really enjoy Wankhede, so of course, it's coming, going for the high note from here. It's always been a special one."

Riyan Parag | RR captain: "I think skill-wise, we executed pretty nicely, but I think we dropped a few too many catches. And quality players like Abhishek and everyone who batted, I feel you can't really drop catches of them and you can't really give them second chances. And they took them, so credit to that. But we could have been better on the field. (what will Trevor Penney make them do next for their fielding today?) I mean, that's going to be a sight to behold, hopefully not too harsh, but I think it's one part of the game yes, but like I've been saying, we've got to be clinical and fielding plays a major part in that. So I feel next game, we'll try and step it up. We've got a day's break, I feel, mentally refresh and then come back next game. (satisfied with 228?) I think we left like 10-15 on the table. To be honest, they bowled really well in the 18th and the 19th over. They bowled like, executed really good yorkers. I felt not much we could have done. But best-case scenario, I think we would have liked another 15 runs. (what determined when Bishnoi came in?) Well, I think there were two lefties and I thought me and Don had a better chance of getting a wicket and then I wanted Klaasen to come in and then get Ravi and Jaddu bhai in. But the wicket was not really spin-friendly. So I just had to manage four overs. Maybe less of an economy I would have liked that, but then it was a wicket where the pacers had to take wickets and the spinners had to just be there and control the economy. Didn't really go to plan, but would do the same thing next time as well. (on Archer) Absolutely, I think he's been such a sensation this whole season. Another classical performance for him. Unlucky as well, a lot of top-edges in between the keeper and the fielders. So yeah, a few unlucky chances, a few chances that we gave away. Hopefully, we don't repeat that next time. (on PK next) I think different venues everyday, different games, different ways to approach it. I feel we don't know how Chandigarh is going to be as of now. I mean, they chased down a big score, yes, in Delhi, but Chandigarh is a new ground and a new wicket, a new soil. So hopefully, it doesn't go to that extent. We'd like to restrict them for lower, but then that's again another day's thought and I have got some time to regroup, think about this and then move ahead."

23:27 Local Time, 17:57 GMT, 23:27 IST: A day for chases. DC couldn't defend 264 earlier on and now RR can't 228. SRH have won with 9 balls to spare. RR have to blame themselves for their fielding. Dhruv Jurel dropped Head first ball but that didn't prove costly. The others certainly did as Hetmyer, Jadeja and Brijesh's drops cost them. Abhishek was dropped on 4 and 30 by Hetmyer and Jadeja. Cannot afford to give chances to players like Abhishek and he made RR pay. The second-wicket stand was worth 132 and that ensured the required rate came down. Ishan continued his attacking batting and then it was followed by Heinrich Klaasen and Nitish Kumar Reddy. A couple of late wickets for Brijesh but SRH had no worries in closing it out. One has to feel for Archer - he bowled with such pace and fire and had two catches dropped off his bowling. Also the ball flew past the bat and some edges didn't carry. He gave it his everything and one could see the disappointment on his face at the end of his spell. Stay tuned for the post-match stuff...

For the first time in the last nine IPL innings, Heinrich Klaasen has been dismissed below 30 runs.

Longest streak of 30+ scores in IPL
10 - Robin Uthappa (2014)
9 - Sai Sudharsan (2023-24)
9 - Suryakumar Yadav (2025)
8 - Heinrich Klaasen (2025-26) - ended today

Brijesh Sharma to Heinrich Klaasen, THATS OUT!! Caught!!

Wide given and Parag checks with Dhruv Jurel and goes for the review. The ball is inside the line.