KKR vs RCB IPL 2025: Cricket fever is back, and the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) kicks off with an electrifying opener between defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the iconic Eden Gardens, Kolkata, on March 22, 2025.
Both teams enter this season with a fresh approach—Ajinkya Rahane leads KKR, while Rajat Patidar takes charge of RCB. With a revamped lineup and high expectations, both franchises will be eager to start their campaign on a winning note.
Match Details
- Fixture: KKR vs RCB
- Date: March 22, 2025
- Time: 7:30 PM IST
- Venue: Eden Gardens, Kolkata
- On-Field Umpires: Vinod Seshan, Abhijeet Bengeri
- Third Umpire: Madanagopal Jayaraman
Head-to-Head Record
| Stat | KKR | RCB |
|---|---|---|
| Total Matches | 21 | 21 |
| Wins | 14 | 7 |
| Average Runs per Match | 160.2 | 151.8 |
| Highest Total | 222 | 221 |
| Lowest Total | 49 | 49 |
Last 5 Meetings
- 2024: KKR (222/6) beat RCB (221/10) – Eden Gardens
- 2024: KKR (186/3) beat RCB (182/6) – M. Chinnaswamy
- 2023: KKR (200/5) beat RCB (179/8) – M. Chinnaswamy
- 2023: KKR (204/7) beat RCB (123/10) – Eden Gardens
- 2022: RCB (132/7) beat KKR (128/10) – DY Patil Stadium
Pitch Report – Eden Gardens
Eden Gardens has historically provided an exciting contest between bat and ball. The pitch tends to favor batters early on but offers assistance to spinners as the match progresses. Chasing teams have had an edge at this venue.
Toss Prediction
Given Eden Gardens’ history, teams winning the toss often prefer to chase, capitalizing on the dew factor and the pitch’s tendency to remain true under lights. However, considering the potential for rain interruptions, captains might opt to bat first to avoid the complexities of a rain-affected chase.
Weather Forecast for March 22, 2025
Cloudy morning with light showers, followed by sunshine in the afternoon. High of 29°C, low of 20°C. Possible thunderstorms later.
- Total IPL Matches: 93
- Wins Batting First: 38 (40.86%)
- Wins Batting Second: 55 (59.14%)
- Highest Team Score: 262/2 (Punjab Kings, 2024 vs KKR)
- Lowest Team Score: 49 (RCB, 2017 vs KKR)
- Average Score Batting First: 162.78
- Best Individual Batting Performance: 112* (Rajat Patidar, RCB, 2022 vs LSG)
- Best Bowling Performance: 5/19 (Sunil Narine, KKR, 2012 vs PBKS)
Runs Breakdown at Eden Gardens (IPL Matches)
- Below 150: 27 matches
- 150-169: 21 matches
- 170-189: 29 matches
- 190 & Above: 18 matches
Fantasy & Performance Metrics
| Stat | 1st Innings | 2nd Innings |
|---|---|---|
| Average Score | 167 | 112 |
| Average 4s | 13 | 9 |
| Average 6s | 3 | 2 |
| Average Wickets Lost | 5 | 6 |
| Batting Fantasy Points | 163 | 112 |
| Bowling Fantasy Points | 177 | 144 |
| Pace Fantasy Points | 41 | 48 |
| Spin Fantasy Points | 26 | 36 |
KKR vs RCB IPL 2025 Playing 11
KKR Playing XI: Quinton de Kock (wk), Sunil Narine, Venkatesh Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Manish Pandey, and Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Anrich Nortje, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora
RCB Playing XI: Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar (c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Swapnil Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal
Dream 11 Fantasy Team
- Wicketkeepers: Quinton de Kock (KKR), Phil Salt (RCB)
- Batters: Virat Kohli (RCB), Venkatesh Iyer (KKR), Rajat Patidar (RCB), Tim David (RCB)
- All-rounders: Andre Russell (KKR), Sunil Narine (KKR), Liam Livingstone (RCB)
- Bowlers: Josh Hazlewood (RCB), Varun Chakravarthy (KKR)
- Captain: Andre Russell
- Vice-Captain: Virat Kohl
Session Predictions & Tips
Powerplay (Overs 1-6)
- Expected Runs: 40-50
- Wickets: 1-2
- Conditions: The surface at Eden Gardens will provide good bounce, favoring stroke play. However, pacers like Hazlewood and Nortje could find early movement. Openers like Quinton de Kock and Phil Salt will aim for an aggressive start, but an early wicket could shift momentum.
First 10 Overs
- Expected Runs: 80-90
- Insights: Spinners like Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine will start coming into play, making it challenging for batters. Kohli and Iyer will look to rotate strike, while aggressive batters like Livingstone and Russell could take on the attack.
Death Overs (Overs 16-20)
- Expected Runs: 45-55
- Strategy: With the pitch favoring stroke-makers in the final overs, power-hitters like Russell and Tim David will look to go big. Slower deliveries and yorkers from Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar will be crucial in restricting the opposition.
KKR vs RCB IPL 2025 Prediction
Considering KKR’s dominance at Eden Gardens and their experienced bowling attack, they have a slight edge over RCB. However, if RCB’s top order fires and their bowlers contain KKR’s power-hitters, they can turn the tables. A close contest is expected, but KKR might have the upper hand, especially if they chase under lights.
Prediction: KKR to win
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