IPL 2025, Match 1: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Match Preview

Reigning champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) lock horns with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the first match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday, March 22.

Kolkata tried to keep maximum number of players who helped them win the title last season. They retained six players ahead of the mega-auction - Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Varun Chakaravarthy, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana, and Ramandeep Singh. Harshit and Ramandeep were uncapped when they were retained but they went on to make their debut for the national team.

KKR went all out to acquire the services of Venkatesh Iyer at the auction and eventually signed him for a staggering INR 23.75 crore. They didn't have the purse left to sign Phil Salt, who was instrumental in KKR's triumph last season. Instead, they signed Quinton de Kock for INR 3.6 crore. He is expected to take the gloves unless the Knights opt to go in with Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who has been with the franchise since IPL 2023.

In the bowling department, KKR had to let go of Mitchell Starc after signing him for a record-breaking sum of INR 24.75 crore ahead of IPL 2024. They have Anrich Nortje and Spencer Johnson in their ranks this time. Harshit has also gained a lot of experience in the past few months as he has played in all three formats for India.

KKR named Ajinkya Rahane as their captain for IPL 2025 after Shreyas Iyer opted to enter the mega auction. The experienced campaigner went unsold in the first round of the mega auction before being roped in by the Knights. His form with the bat, especially in the shortest format, is a bit of a concern but if he gets among the runs, it will bode well for KKR as his captaincy credentials are commendable.

Once again, the form of Narine and Russell is going to be key for KKR. The former was the MVP (Most Valuable Player) last season, showcasing exemplary all-round skills. Russell wasn't required too much with the bat but this season could be different for the Jamaica-born.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru have reached the playoffs in three out of the last four seasons. In IPL 2024, Virat Kohli won the Orange Cap but he didn't get much support from his fellow batters. This year, RCB have a more compact batting line-up, at least on paper. Salt could open the innings with Kohli, who was in prime form in India's triumphant campaign in Champions Trophy 2025. The former's flamboyant approach from the outset could help the former RCB skipper ease into his innings.

Rajat Patidar has been appointed as the skipper of the side. He will be leading a team in the IPL for the first time. In T20s, he has 12 wins and four defeats from 16 games as captain. If the right-handed batter can score runs consistently with the bat, it would do wonders for his confidence as a skipper.

The middle and lower-order look formidable, with explosive players like Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma, and Tim David in the mix. They can change the game in the matter of a few overs with their ability to take the best bowling line-ups to the cleaners.

Bowling has not been RCB's stronger suit over the years. However, this year, they have gone for experience, picking up Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood, who are expected to lead the attack. Lungi Ngidi is a good backup for Hazlewood.

Krunal Pandya will play the all-rounder's role while Suyash Sharma could be picked as the Impact Player, especially on turning tracks. The talented Devdutt Padikkal is also back at the franchise and he can be used at the top of the order.

Match Details

Pitch Report

In all, 93 matches have been played at Eden Gardens. Teams batting first have won 38 games, while chasing teams have emerged victorious on 55 occasions. The average first innings score is around 163. Last season, the venue provided some of the flattest surfaces in the league. Punjab Kings chased a record target of 262 against the Knight in one of the matches. If the practice matches are an indication, the Eden Gardens could provide some run-fests in IPL 2025 as well. However, the entire match is likely to be washed out as the weather forecast has predicted thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds on the match day.

Head-To-Head Record

Predicted XI:

Kolkata Knight Riders:

Quinton de Kock (WK), Sunil Narine, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Ajinkya Rahane (C), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Anrich Nortje, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy.

Impact Player: Vaibhav Arora/Mayank Markande.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru:

Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (C), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal.

Impact Player: Suryash Sharma/Rasikh Dar Salam.