Veteran India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has offered a bold take on the IPL 2026 opener between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad. With short boundaries and a batting-friendly surface on offer, a run-heavy contest is on the cards, especially with both sides missing key pacers Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins. SRH, meanwhile, boast a formidable batting unit, with Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan leading the charge at the top. The middle order is equally strong, featuring Heinrich Klaasen, Liam Livingstone and Nitish Kumar Reddy, making them a serious threat.
Meanwhile, Ashwin has backed Klaasen to deliver in the IPL 2026 opener, even though the Proteas batter hasn’t been at his best of late. Since stepping away from international cricket, Klaasen’s returns in T20 leagues have been patchy. Once known for dominating attacks around the world, he has found it difficult to maintain that level. Following the 2024 T20 World Cup final, where his fighting half-century wasn’t enough, Klaasen has played 65 matches, scoring 1,440 runs in 59 innings. He averages 28.80 with a strike rate of 148.76, including one hundred and seven fifties, reflecting a dip from his earlier consistency.
“I have a strange feeling for this match. In the last 18 months, this guy has not done much wonders. A strange feeling that Heinrich Klaasen is going to have a night to remember, I don’t know why. From RCB’s side, I think Jacob Bethell will be the power player of the day,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
“RCB are without Hazlewood”
Ashwin pointed out that RSH have had the upper hand over RCB in their last two meetings, piling up huge scores each time. In the 2025 clash in Lucknow, SRH racked up 231, powered by Ishan Kishan’s impressive 94, while they had earlier hammered 287 in Bengaluru during the 2024 season. They went on to win those games by 42 and 25 runs respectively. Ashwin believes that pattern could repeat itself, especially with RCB set to miss Josh Hazlewood this time around.
“SRH have got the better of RCB in the recent past, and they will follow in this game also, I feel that this game will also follow that trend, for strange reasons that RCB are without Hazlewood. In that game in Lucknow last year, as well, Hazlewood was not there, if I am not wrong,” he said.
