Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma Make Cut in IPL 2026 Best XI of Week 1

Sameer Rizvi grabs Orange Cap with 160 runs while Ravi Bishnoi takes Purple Cap as IPL 2026 Best XI is picked after thrilling opening week full of high-scoring chases and last-ball thrillers.

RCB Tops League Table  

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru sit pretty at the top of the IPL 2026 points table with four points from two wins and a commanding net run rate of 2.501. Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings also remain unbeaten with two victories each, while Chennai Super Kings languish at the bottom after three straight losses.

Rizvi Bags Orange Cap  

Delhi Capitals batter Sameer Rizvi has been the standout batsman of Week 1. He smashed an unbeaten 70 off 47 balls against Lucknow Super Giants, stitching a 119-run stand with Tristan Stubbs to seal a six-wicket win. In the very next game against Mumbai Indians, Rizvi blasted 90 off 51 deliveries to chase down 163. His 160 runs in two matches have handed him the Orange Cap.

Bishnoi Claims Purple Cap  

Rajasthan Royals’ Ravi Bishnoi has taken the Purple Cap with five wickets. The wrist-spinner turned the game against Gujarat Titans with a match-winning four-wicket haul, proving once again why he was signed for big money. His ability to bowl in the middle overs and death has already made him the most impactful bowler of the season so far.

Salt Delivers Fielding Heroics  

Kolkata Knight Riders’ Phil Salt produced the catch of the tournament on opening night itself. He sprinted to his right and pulled off a one-handed stunner to dismiss Ishan Kishan for 80. Salt had earlier taken Travis Head and also played a key role in sending Heinrich Klaasen back, underlining his brilliance in the field.

Kohli, Rohit Shine Bright  

Virat Kohli has looked in vintage touch, scoring 97 runs across two matches, including an unbeaten 69 against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Mumbai Indians skipper Rohit Sharma too announced his arrival with 113 runs in two outings, briefly holding the Orange Cap. Both senior stars have comfortably made the cut in the IPL 2026 Best XI.

Young Stars Impress  

Besides Rizvi, several young talents caught the eye. Angkrish Raghuvanshi slammed two half-centuries in as many games for Kolkata Knight Riders. Nitish Kumar Reddy shone as an all-rounder with 96 runs and two wickets. Cooper Connolly’s match-winning 72 against Gujarat Titans also earned him a place. Notably, players such as Abhishek Sharma could not make the final XI despite early expectations.

IPL 2026 Best XI of Week 1  

1. Virat Kohli  

2. Rohit Sharma  

3. Cooper Connolly  

4. Angkrish Raghuvanshi  

5. Sameer Rizvi  

6. Ishan Kishan  

7. Nitish Kumar Reddy  

8. Jacob Duffy  

9. T Natarajan  

10. Ravi Bishnoi  

11. Vijaykumar Vyshak  

Jacob Duffy and Vijaykumar Vyshak have taken five and five wickets respectively for RCB and CSK, while T Natarajan has four scalps to his name.

The opening week of IPL 2026 has already delivered edge-of-the-seat contests, with teams chasing down 200-plus totals and bowlers defending modest totals in the final over. Fans across the country have been glued to their screens, making it one of the most entertaining starts in recent seasons.

What Lies Ahead  

With Week 2 set to begin shortly, defending champions RCB will look to maintain their unbeaten run while CSK and KKR will be desperate for their first wins. The race for the Orange and Purple Caps is wide open, and every match from now on will carry added weight as teams jostle for playoff spots.