IPL 2026 Eliminator: SRH elect to bowl vs RR, Jadeja returns
Synopsis
Sunrisers Hyderabad won the toss and chose to bowl in the IPL 2026 Eliminator against Rajasthan Royals — a decision that puts Cummins' confident bowling unit under immediate pressure to dismiss a Rajasthan top order that includes Jaiswal, Sooryavanshi, and a returning Jadeja. The loser goes home tonight.
Key Takeaways
Sunrisers Hyderabad won the toss and elected to bowl in the IPL 2026 Eliminator on 27 May in New Chandigarh .
Ravindra Jadeja returns to the Rajasthan Royals XI, replacing Shubham Dubey , who moves to the Impact Player bench.
Praful Hinge comes in for Salil Arora as SRH's sole change.
RR skipper Riyan Parag admitted he would 'probably' have preferred to bowl first, handing SRH a psychological edge at the toss.
The Eliminator is a straight knockout — the loser exits IPL 2026 .
Sunrisers Hyderabad won the toss and opted to bowl first against Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2026 Eliminator at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh, on Wednesday, 27 May. The knockout tie sees both sides make one change apiece to their playing XIs, with Ravindra Jadeja the headline addition for Rajasthan.
Toss and Team Changes
SRH captain Pat Cummins called correctly and had no hesitation in sending RR in to bat. The only alteration to the Hyderabad side sees Praful Hinge come in for Salil Arora. For Rajasthan, veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja replaces Shubham Dubey, who drops to the Impact Player bench — a move that bolsters both the spin attack and the lower-order batting.
What the Captains Said
Cummins said experience of high-pressure cricket helps players stay composed in knockout fixtures, but pointed to SRH's recent form as the bigger confidence booster heading into the Eliminator. He described the bowling plans as 'very simple', targeting specific batters only when the situation demands. Cummins also backed his side's chase record, noting they had won plenty of games batting second and were ready to 'have a crack first with the ball.'
RR skipper Riyan Parag admitted he was 'a little undecided' at the toss and said he would probably have preferred to bowl first. Parag confirmed he was fit to play and backed his side's ability to post a competitive total.
Playing XIs
Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Riyan Parag (c), Donovan Ferreira, Dasun Shanaka, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Brijesh Sharma, Yash Punja. Impact substitutes: Shubham Dubey, Sushant Mishra, Amanal Perala, Ravi Bishnoi, Tushar Deshpande.
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (wk), Heinrich Klaasen, Smaran Ravichandran, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Pat Cummins (c), Shivang Kumar, Eshan Malinga, Sakib Hussain, Praful Hinge. Impact substitutes: Aniket Verma, Salil Arora, Liam Livingstone, Harsh Dubey, Harshal Patel.
What Is at Stake
The Eliminator is a straight knockout — the losing side exits the tournament. The winner advances to face the loser of Qualifier 1 in Qualifier 2, keeping alive a shot at the IPL 2026 final. Both franchises have pedigree in knockout cricket, making the toss decision and team selections all the more consequential on a surface in New Chandigarh.
Point of View
By contrast, look settled and aggressive: their batting depth from Abhishek to Klaasen to Cummins means bowling first is a genuine tactical choice, not a default. The side that handles the first six overs better will likely control this match.
NationPress
8 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the toss in the IPL 2026 Eliminator between SRH and RR?
Sunrisers Hyderabad won the toss in the IPL 2026 Eliminator on 27 May at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh, and elected to bowl first against Rajasthan Royals.
Why did Ravindra Jadeja come into the Rajasthan Royals XI?
Jadeja replaced Shubham Dubey in the Rajasthan Royals starting lineup for the IPL 2026 Eliminator. Dubey was moved to the Impact Player bench, with Jadeja's all-round ability in spin bowling and lower-order batting making him the preferred choice for a knockout fixture.
What change did Sunrisers Hyderabad make for the Eliminator?
SRH made one change, bringing in Praful Hinge in place of Salil Arora. Captain Pat Cummins confirmed the single alteration ahead of the toss.
What happens to the losing team in the IPL 2026 Eliminator?
The losing team is eliminated from IPL 2026. The winning team advances to Qualifier 2, where they face the loser of Qualifier 1 for a place in the final.
What did Pat Cummins say about SRH's approach to the Eliminator?
Cummins said SRH's recent form was a bigger confidence booster than experience of high-pressure games. He described the bowling plans as 'very simple' and backed his side's batting strength, noting they had won plenty of games chasing and were ready to 'have a crack first with the ball.'
