Fans eagerly await KKR vs RCB IPL 2025 season opener — the match will be played at The Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on March 22, where the title holders Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Both KKR and RCB will be led by new first-timers Ajinkya Rahane and Rajat Patidar. Both sides are coming into the contest on Friday, and it should be an exciting clash as KKR will miss out on the win to get their title defence off the way it had started, while the RCB fans will be hoping that the long-standing rival has passed them by.
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Match Details KKR vs RCB IPL 2025
| Match | Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Match 1) |
| Venue | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| Date & Time | Saturday, March 22, 7:30 PM (IST) |
| Live Broadcast & Streaming | JioHotstar (app & website), Star Sports Network |
Pitch Report: A Batting Friendly Surface With Aiding Spin
Eden Gardens has a flat pitch, a steady bounce, and a batsman-friendly surface. Tentative runs are expected, particularly in the first innings. But toward the back end of the match, the pitch will slow down and start to favour the spinners. Historically, teams chasing a total have had a much better success rate (55 wins in 93 IPL matches) at this venue compared to teams batting first (38 wins).
KKR vs RCB: Overall Results
KKR has a solid record over RCB in IPL. Out of 34 matches, KKR has won 20, and RCB has won 14 times. The rivalry began on the COVID-19 opening clash of IPL 2008, where KKR won by a massive 140 runs. The latest match between KKR and RR in IPL 2024 was a last-ball thriller where KKR emerged victorious by the margin of a single run.
| Matches Played | KKR Wins | RCB Wins | Tied/No Result |
| 34 | 20 | 14 | 0 |
Weather Report: IPL 2025 Opener is Under Rain Threat
The weather in Kolkata is one of the biggest concerns for the prestigious event match. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), an Orange Alert was issued for rain and thunderstorms from March 20 to 22. There is a 65 per cent chance of rain in the afternoon before the match, but conditions should improve by game time. Thankfully, Eden Gardens is home to one of India’s better drainage systems, and that marks another good sign that there could be a restart in time if rain intervenes.
Probable Playing XI
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Probable XI vs RCB
| Player | Role |
| Quinton de Kock (wk) | Wicketkeeper-Batsman |
| Sunil Narine | All-rounder |
| Venkatesh Iyer | All-rounder |
| Ajinkya Rahane (c) | Batsman |
| Manish Pandey | Batsman |
| Rinku Singh | Batsman |
| Andre Russell | All-rounder |
| Anrich Nortje | Bowler |
| Varun Chakravarthy | Bowler |
| Harshit Rana | Bowler |
| Vaibhav Arora | Bowler |
| Impact Player: Mayank Markhande |
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Probable XI vs KKR
| Player | Role |
| Phil Salt | Wicketkeeper-Batsman |
| Virat Kohli | Batsman |
| Rajat Patidar (c) | Batsman |
| Liam Livingstone | All-rounder |
| Jitesh Sharma (wk) | Wicketkeeper-Batsman |
| Tim David | All-rounder |
| Krunal Pandya | All-rounder |
| Swapnil Singh | Bowler |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Bowler |
| Josh Hazlewood | Bowler |
| Yash Dayal | Bowler |
| Impact Player: Suyash Sharma or Devdutt Padikkal |
Full Squads of RCB & KKR in IPL 2025
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Full Squad for IPL 2025
Ajinkya Rahane (C), Rinku Singh, Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Venkatesh Iyer, Ramandeep Singh, Andre Russell, Anrich Nortje, Harshit Rana, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, Vaibhav Arora, Mayank Markande, Rovman Powell, Manish Pandey, Spencer Johnson, Luvnith Sisodia, Anukul Roy, Moeen Ali, Chetan Sakariya.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) full Squad for IPL 2025
Rajat Patidar (c), Virat Kohli, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Liam Livingstone, Rasikh Dar, Suyash Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Nuwan Thushara, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethel, Devdutt Padikkal, Swastik Chhikara, Lungi Ngidi, Abhinandan Singh, Mohit Rathee.
Key Players to Watch Out For in KKR vs RCB 2025
- Sunil Narine (KKR): A match-winner with bat and ball, Narine has an impressive record against RCB. His spin bowling will be vital, especially as the pitch becomes slower.
- Andre Russell (KKR): Given his capacity to hit the ball a mile, Russell has gotten runs against him throughout the years. His clean-hitting capability in the death overs makes him a dangerous player.
- Virat Kohli (RCB): An all-time great of IPL, Kohli has played many match-winning innings compared to KKR. His experience and consistency will prove crucial in RCB’s run.
- Josh Hazlewood (RCB): On his way back into the squad, Hazlewood will be RCB’s key bowler, especially in the powerplay, against openers of KKR, who would like to be aggressive.
Toss and Match Prediction RCB vs KKR 2025
The outcome of the match might be heavily dependent upon the toss.
Scenario 1: KKR Wins the Toss & Bowls First
- RCB’s first innings total: 185-195
- Match prediction: KKR to win
Scenario 2: KKR Wins the Toss & Bats First
- KKR’s first innings total: 170-180
- Match prediction: RCB to win
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Final Notes on First Match of IPL 2025
We will be live with the opening match of IPL 2025 soon, as both KKR and RCB will want to begin their campaigns with a win. KKR has a historical edge, though RCB has a new look in this season. But weather is still a significant concern, and rain threatens the highly-anticipated match-up. Assuming conditions allow a full match, expect an exciting contest to get the new season underway.