KKR vs RCB 1st Match (22 March 2025)
1. Match Details
- Match: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
- Date: 22nd March 2025
- Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata
- Time: 7:30 PM IST
Match Preview
The highly anticipated opening match of IPL 2025 will see Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the iconic Eden Gardens. Both teams have undergone some major changes in their squads and are looking to kickstart the season with a win.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) – Team Overview (IPL 2025)
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) enter IPL 2025 with a strong mix of explosive batters, experienced all-rounders, and a potent bowling attack. With no Shreyas Iyer in the squad, KKR will look to new leadership and experienced international stars to guide them. Their core strength lies in power-hitting, featuring Andre Russell and Rinku Singh, while their spin duo of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy remains a major threat.
Team Captain: Ajinkya Rahane
🔹 Key Players to Watch:
✅ Andre Russell – The powerhouse all-rounder, lethal with both bat and ball.
✅ Rinku Singh – KKR’s finisher, capable of turning games in the death overs.
✅ Quinton de Kock – A destructive opener who can provide solid starts.
✅ Sunil Narine – A mystery spinner and a handy pinch-hitter in the powerplay.
✅ Anrich Nortje – The express pace bowler, key in powerplay and death overs.
✅ Venkatesh Iyer – A crucial all-rounder who adds depth to both batting and bowling.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) – Team Overview (IPL 2025)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) enter IPL 2025 with a well-balanced squad featuring a mix of experienced stars and promising young talents. With Virat Kohli continuing as the pillar of their batting lineup, RCB boasts explosive firepower in Phil Salt and Devdutt Padikkal. Their all-rounders, led by Liam Livingstone and Krunal Pandya, add crucial depth, while a strong bowling attack spearheaded by Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar provides stability. RCB will aim to break their title drought and make a serious championship push this season.
Team Captain: Rajat Patidar
🔹 Key Players to Watch:
✅ Virat Kohli – The backbone of RCB’s batting, a proven match-winner.
✅ Phil Salt – A dynamic wicketkeeper-batter who can provide explosive starts.
✅ Liam Livingstone – A hard-hitting all-rounder who can turn games around.
✅ Josh Hazlewood – RCB’s pace spearhead, crucial in both powerplay and death overs.
✅ Bhuvneshwar Kumar – A swing specialist who can control the game with his accuracy.
✅ Tim David – A dangerous finisher who adds power in the middle order.
KKR vs RCB (Past 3 years)
| Year | KKR vs RCB Total Matches | KKR WIN | RCB WIN |
| 2024 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2023 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
KKR vs RCB: Head to Head
| Match No. | Season | Winner | KKR Score | RCB Score |
| 36th T20I | IPL 2024 | KKR | 222(20) | 221(20) |
| 10th T20I | IPL 2024 | KKR | 186(16.5) | 182(20) |
| 36th T20I | IPL 2023 | KKR | 186(16.5) | 179(20) |
| 9th T20I | IPL 2023 | KKR | 204(20) | 200(20) |
| 6th T20I | IPL 2022 | RCB | 128(18.5) | 132(19.2) |
Team Form ( Last 5 Matches )
| Team | Form (Last 5 Matches) |
|---|---|
| 🟣 KKR – Kolkata Knight Riders | ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ (5 Wins) |
| 🔴 RCB – Royal Challengers Bengaluru | ❌ ✅ ✅ ✅ ✅ (1 Loss, 4 Wins) |
Team Comparison
| Stat | KKR (vs all teams) | RCB (vs all teams) |
|---|---|---|
| Matches Played | 10 | 10 |
| Win Percentage | 80% | 60% |
| Average Score | 186 | 206 |
| Highest Score | 261 | 262 |
| Lowest Score | 114 | 152 |
| Stat | KKR (vs all teams) | RCB (vs all teams) |
|---|---|---|
| Matches Played | 10 | 10 |
| Win Percentage | 60% | 40% |
| Average Score | 189 | 166 |
| Highest Score | 261 | 221 |
| Lowest Score | 149 | 49 |
Last 5 Match Stats
| Stat | Value | Match Details |
|---|---|---|
| Avg 1st Innings Score | 166 | — |
| Avg 2nd Innings Score | 153 | — |
| Highest Total | 262/2 | PBKS vs KKR |
| Lowest Total | 49/10 | RCB vs KKR |
| Highest Chase | 262/2 | PBKS vs KKR |
| Lowest Defended | 103/6 | RPS vs KKR |
Pitch & Weather Report
Pitch Analysis – Eden Gardens, Kolkata
- Pitch Type: Traditionally a batting-friendly surface with some assistance for spinners.
- Average First-Innings Score: 170-180
- Chasing Team Record: Teams batting second have a slight advantage.
For More Detailed Info Check Ground and Match Prediction Here…Eden Gardens (Kolkata) – Pitch Report
Weather Conditions
- Temperature: 28°C
- Humidity: 60%
- Rain Prediction: No rain expected, clear skies throughout the match.
KKR Team vs RCB Team Squad 2025
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Squad for IPL 2025
Batters:
- Rinku Singh – Batter
- Quinton de Kock – WK-Batter
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz – WK-Batter
- Angkrish Raghuvanshi – Batter
- Rovman Powell – Batter
- Manish Pandey – Batter
- Luvnith Sisodia – WK-Batter
- Ajinkya Rahane – Batter
All-Rounders:
- Venkatesh Iyer – All-Rounder
- Anukul Roy – All-Rounder
- Moeen Ali – All-Rounder
- Ramandeep Singh – All-Rounder
- Andre Russell – All-Rounder
Bowlers:
- Anrich Nortje – Bowler
- Vaibhav Arora – Bowler
- Mayank Markande – Bowler
- Spencer Johnson – Bowler
- Umran Malik – Bowler
- Harshit Rana – Bowler
- Sunil Narine – Bowler
- Varun Chakaravarthy – Bowler
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Squad for IPL 2025
Batters:
- Rajat Patidar – Batter
- Virat Kohli – Batter
- Phil Salt – WK-Batter
- Jitesh Sharma – WK-Batter
- Devdutt Padikkal – Batter
- Swastik Chhikara – Batter
All-Rounders:
- Liam Livingstone – All-Rounder
- Krunal Pandya – All-Rounder
- Swapnil Singh – All-Rounder
- Tim David – All-Rounder
- Romario Shepherd – All-Rounder
- Manoj Bhandage – All-Rounder
- Jacob Bethell – All-Rounder
Bowlers:
- Josh Hazlewood – Bowler
- Rasikh Dar – Bowler
- Suyash Sharma – Bowler
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar – Bowler
- Nuwan Thushara – Bowler
- Lungi Ngidi – Bowler
- Abhinandan Singh – Bowler
- Mohit Rathee – Bowler
- Yash Dayal – Bowler
Key Player Battles to Watch
🔥 Virat Kohli vs Sunil Narine – Can Kohli handle Narine’s mystery spin?
🔥 Andre Russell vs Mohammed Siraj – Russell’s power-hitting vs Siraj’s pace in death overs.
🔥 Faf du Plessis vs Mitchell Starc – Starc’s deadly swing can trouble the RCB skipper.
Fantasy Cricket Tips
Fantasy Cricket Team – KKR vs RCB (IPL 2025)
Wicketkeepers (WK) 🧤
✅ Phil Salt (RCB) – Aggressive opener, capable of quick runs.
✅ Rahmanullah Gurbaz (KKR) – Explosive batter, potential impact player.Batters🏏
✅ Virat Kohli (RCB) – RCB’s batting mainstay, in great form.
✅ Rinku Singh (KKR) – Proven finisher, reliable in pressure situations.
✅ Ajinkya Rahane (KKR) – Experienced player, can anchor innings.All-Rounders 💪
✅ Andre Russell (KKR) – Match-winner with both bat and ball.
✅ Liam Livingstone (RCB) – Power-hitter and handy spin option.
✅ Venkatesh Iyer (KKR) – Provides balance with batting and medium pace.Bowlers 🎯
✅ Josh Hazlewood (RCB) – Key pacer, effective in powerplay and death overs.
✅ Varun Chakaravarthy (KKR) – Mystery spinner, crucial for middle overs.
✅ Sunil Narine (KKR) – Veteran spinner, can restrict runs and take wickets.Captain & Vice-Captain Choices 🏆
Captain (C): Andre Russell (KKR) – Impact player, contributes in both departments.
Vice-Captain (VC): Virat Kohli (RCB) – Reliable and consistent run-scorer.
Match Prediction
Who has the edge?
RCB: With Virat Kohli leading the batting charge and strong power-hitters like Liam Livingstone and Tim David, RCB has the firepower to post or chase big totals. Their pace attack, featuring Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, adds balance.
KKR: KKR boasts a dangerous all-round unit with Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer, and Moeen Ali, providing depth in both batting and bowling. Their spin duo of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakaravarthy can be game-changers, especially on slower tracks.
Prediction: KKR has the edge due to superior all-round options and a strong spin attack, but if Kohli and Livingstone fire, RCB can turn the tables.
Last Year’s Performance Summary (IPL 2024)
KKR’s Performance in IPL 2024 (🏆 Champions)
KKR had a strong season, making it to the playoffs with a well-balanced squad. Andre Russell and Sunil Narine played crucial roles, while their batting, led by Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh, delivered match-winning knocks. Their spin attack was lethal, helping them dominate in home conditions, but they fell short in the knockout stages.
RCB Last Year Performance (IPL 2024):
RCB had an inconsistent campaign, struggling with both form and injuries. Despite Virat Kohli’s consistent performances and impactful contributions from players like Rajat Patidar, their bowling let them down in key matches. They missed out on the playoffs, finishing mid-table, as their death bowling and middle-order woes remained a concern.
Live Streaming & Broadcast Details
- TV Broadcast: Star Sports Network
- Live Streaming: JioCinema (Free)
- Match Time: 7:30 PM IST
Post-Match Review (To Be Updated After Match)
📌 Match Summary – Key moments and turning points
📌 Top Performers – Best batsman, bowler, and MVP
📌 Points Table Update – Standings after match 1
📌 Next Match Details – Who plays next and what to expect
