Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will face Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the first match of IPL 2025 at the historic Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday, March 22. KKR, who had a commanding campaign last season that ended with their title victory, will seek to begin their defence in style. RCB, however, are still pursuing their first-ever IPL title after being eliminated in the Eliminator last season.
There are significant leadership transitions this season for both teams. KKR have entrusted the captaincy mantle to veteran Ajinkya Rahane, relying on his experience to lead them to consecutive titles. On the other hand, RCB have opted for a drastic change by appointing upcoming star Rajat Patidar as their skipper, marking a new era for the franchise. Both captains are in the spotlight, with the task of motivating their respective teams in this big-ticket opener.
KKR have an impressive squad consisting of heavyweights like Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, and Venkatesh Iyer, with the addition of new signing Quinton de Kock. They have an impressive record at Eden Gardens with 52 victories from the 88 matches they have played at the ground. RCB, under Patidar’s leadership, will depend on the experience of Virat Kohli and new signings like Phil Salt and Liam Livingstone to add strength to their batting. However, history favours KKR in this rivalry, with the Kolkata-based team winning 20 out of 34 encounters against RCB. In their previous encounter at this ground, KKR overcame RCB by a single run in a thrilling finish while defending a record total of 222 runs.
Weather Forecast: Rain to be a spoilsport?
The weather forecast for Kolkata’s Eden Gardens stadium today, March 22, 2025, suggests a significant chance of rain during the IPL 2025 opening match between KKR and RCB. Current conditions indicate moderate to heavy rain accompanied by thunder, with a temperature around 22°C (72°F) and humidity at 78%.
There is a likelihood of patchy rain throughout the day, which could lead to interruptions in the match. Wind speeds are moderate at 6 mph coming from the east-southeast, and visibility is limited to about 1 mile due to cloud cover at 75%. Given these conditions, fans and teams alike should be prepared for potential delays or adjustments to the match schedule if the rain persists.
Also READ: IPL 2025: KKR’s best playing XI and impact players
Eden Gardens Pitch Report:
The pitch at Eden Gardens for the IPL 2025 opener is expected to be highly favourable for batters. The surface is known for its flat nature and true bounce, making it conducive to aggressive stroke play. While it offers a good start for batters, it is not as flat as pitches in other venues like Bengaluru or Hyderabad, providing some assistance to bowlers, especially in the early overs.
Historically, the pitch has seen teams chasing successfully, with an average first-innings score of around 163 runs. In recent matches, spinners have begun to find their footing as the game progresses, but fast bowlers can also exploit any moisture in the pitch early on. Given the current weather conditions and potential rain, captains winning the toss may opt to bowl first to take advantage of any dampness that could aid seamers.
Squads:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Virat Kohli, Philip Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Liam Livingstone, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Swapnil Singh, Lungi Ngidi, Romario Shepherd, Manoj Bhandage, Rasikh Dar Salam, Nuwan Thushara, Jacob Bethell, Suyash Sharma, Mohit Rathee, Swastik Chikara, Abhinandan Singh
Kolkata Knight Riders: Quinton de Kock (wk), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Spencer Johnson, Vaibhav Arora, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Manish Pandey, Moeen Ali, Anrich Nortje, Rovman Powell, Anukul Roy, Mayank Markande, Chetan Sakariya, Luvnith Sisodia
