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Kolkata Knight Riders won the toss and chose to bat first against a reshuffled Rajasthan Royals side in a key Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 fixture at Eden Gardens. While KKR still chase a playoff spot, RR are out of contention but hope to bow out with pride.
Reason behind Nitish Rana’s absence from KKR vs RR game
Rajasthan made three notable changes for this dead-rubber encounter, bringing in Sri Lankan spinner Wanindu Hasaranga for Kumar Kartikeya and pacer Yudhvir Singh Charak in place of Fazalhaq Farooqi. RR also missed the services of experienced batter Nitish Rana, who was ruled out due to a minor niggle, as confirmed by captain Riyan Parag. In his absence, 22-year-old wicketkeeper-batter Kunal Singh Rathore made his IPL debut. Rathore, signed for INR 30 lakh in the 2025 mega auction, had shown promise in domestic cricket, especially during the 2023–24 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he tallied 107 runs at a strike rate of 152.85. The Royals, already eliminated from the playoff race, will be hoping to end their campaign positively, while KKR seeks a crucial win to stay alive in the competition.
“I was happy that I lost the toss, wasn’t sure. It’s very challenging, you got to be profession on the field. A lot of work goes into it. Need to play for our pride. Need to bring more energy into the field. We are hoping to put a collective effort. Three changes in our team. Nitish Rana has a niggle, he goes out. Hasaranga comes back for Kumar Kartikeya. Kunal Rathore and Yudhvir are in,” Parag said at the toss.
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Changes in Kolkata Knight Riders’ side
KKR, firmly in contention for a playoff berth as they sat in 7th place, made two crucial changes to strengthen both their batting depth and all-round options. In a strategic move, the team brought back seasoned England all-rounder Moeen Ali, known for his ability to control the middle overs with the ball and play impactful cameos with the bat. He replaced West Indian power-hitter Rovman Powell. In another shift, KKR opted to bolster their middle and lower batting order by drafting in Ramandeep Singh, an aggressive and flexible batter in place of left-arm spinner Anukul Roy.
“We are going to bat first, looks a little dry. Not sure if it slows down in the second innings. We want to put a total on the board and defend it. Need to keep it simple. It’s all about taking one game at a time. Everyone’s contribution was good in the last game. Need to assess the conditions and adapt to it quickly. I am working really hard on my game, playing domestic cricket has helped me a lot. Trying to enjoy my game. Moeen and Ramandeep are back in the side,” Rahane said.
