The IPL 2025 season is set to begin with an exciting match between the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Both teams will be playing under new captains this season. While Kolkata will aim to defend their title, Bengaluru will be looking to win their first-ever IPL championship.
KKR vs RCB – A Battle for a Winning Start
Both teams are eager to start their campaign with a victory. A key player to watch in this match will be Kolkata’s star spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who will face the challenge of bowling to Bengaluru’s top batsmen like Virat Kohli and Phil Salt. Chakravarthy recently played a crucial role in India’s Champions Trophy victory. Interestingly, Salt was part of Kolkata last season but will now be playing for Bengaluru.
Will Narine and de Kock Open for KKR?
Last season, Kolkata’s opening pair featured Sunil Narine and Phil Salt. However, with Salt now in Bengaluru, the team has Quinton de Kock as a strong opening option alongside Narine. The decision to use Narine as an opener was made by former mentor Gautam Gambhir, who is now the head coach of the Indian cricket team. With Dwayne Bravo as Kolkata’s new mentor, it will be interesting to see whether Narine continues to open or if Bravo opts for a different strategy. Given Narine’s past success as an opener, it is unlikely that he will be pushed down the order.
Ajinkya Rahane vs Rajat Patidar – The New Captains Face Off
Kolkata will be led by Ajinkya Rahane, as their previous captain Shreyas Iyer has moved to Punjab Kings. On the other hand, Rajat Patidar will be captaining Bengaluru. Rahane will be leading an IPL team after six years, and he faces the tough challenge of defending the title. As always, Bengaluru has a star-studded squad, but their approach on the field will determine their success.
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New Combinations for Both Teams
Both Kolkata and Bengaluru have made significant changes to their squads, which means their team combinations will be different from last season. Bengaluru’s opening pair is also new, with Phil Salt expected to open alongside Virat Kohli to provide an aggressive start. Their middle order features Devdutt Padikkal, Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma, Tim David, and Krunal Pandya.
Meanwhile, Kolkata’s middle order will be strengthened by Ajinkya Rahane, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, and Andre Russell.
Predicted Playing XIs for KKR vs RCB
RCB’s probable playing eleven:
- Virat Kohli
- Phil Salt
- Devdutt Padikkal
- Rajat Patidar (captain)
- Liam Livingstone
- Jitesh Sharma
- Tim David
- Krunal Pandya
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar
- Josh Hazlewood
- Yash Dayal
KKR’s probable playing eleven:
- Quinton de Kock
- Sunil Narine
- Ajinkya Rahane (captain)
- Venkatesh Iyer
- Rinku Singh
- Andre Russell
- Ramandeep Singh
- Harshit Rana
- Spencer Johnson
- Vaibhav Arora
- Varun Chakravarthy