IPL Throwback: Check Playing XIs Of First-Ever IPL Match

IPL Throwback: Today, April 18, 2026, marks 18 years since the Indian Premier League began its journey. Fittingly, the anniversary falls on a day when the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, the venue that hosted the very first IPL match, once again stages a clash, this time between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Delhi Capitals (DC). Back in 2008, however, it was RCB taking on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in a historic opener. Apart from a young very Virat Kohli, the line-ups from that night look vastly different today. As the league enters its 19th season, here’s a nostalgic look at the playing XIs from the first-ever IPL match.

IPL History: First-Ever Lineups Explored

When RCB hosted KKR for the first-ever IPL match in 2008, they were captained by Rahul Dravid, while the opposition were led by Sourav Ganguly, two giants of Indian cricket. 

Here’s a look at their playing XIs:

RCB – Rahul Dravid, Wasim Jaffer, Virat Kohli, Jacques Kallis, Cameron White, Mark Boucher, Balachandra Akhil, Ashley Noffke, Praveen Kumar, Zaheer Khan

KKR – Sourav Ganguly, Ricky Ponting, Brendon McCullum, David Hussey, Mohammad Hafeez, Laxmi Shukla, Prasanta Saha, Ajit Agarkar, Murali Kartik, Ishant Sharma

Expect Virat Kohli, none of these players has played a match in IPL 2026. In fact, most of them have been retired for several years, and although Ishant Sharma is a part of the Gujarat Titans (GT) squad, he is yet to play a game this season.

IPL First-Ever Match Result

The first-ever IPL match turned into an isntant classic when Brendon McCullum went on to smash 158 runs off just 73 deliveries, setting the tone for what this tournament would turn out to be.

He struck 10 fours and 13 sixes, propelling the score to 222 runs. In the following innings, RCB would be bundled for 82 runs, with Virat Kohli scoring just 1 off 5 balls, losing the match by 140 runs.

Also Check: RCB Green Jersey Record: How Do IPL Defending Champions Perform In Special Kit?

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