On Saturday, March 22, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will play their first match of the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) at Eden Gardens. Since the tournament’s inception, this will be the first time the two teams have faced off in an IPL opener.
The visitors will be playing for the first time under Rajat Patidar’s direction. This comes after RCB failed to retain Faf du Plessis, who captained the team for three straight seasons.
With 21 victories in the 35 games played, KKR has the lead in the head-to-head record between the two teams. But you can’t take RCB lightly. IPL 2025 promises an exciting start, so fans may be in for a high-scoring match.
RCB’s Best XI vs Kolkata Knight Riders for IPL 2025 Opener
Openers – Phil Salt (wk), Virat Kohli
Phil Salt was purchased by RCB for INR 11.50 crore following successful seasons with the Delhi Capitals and KKR. The Englishman will be expected to deliver explosive starts in the powerplay and take wickets, as he possesses the aggressive ability to take on any opponent.
Virat Kohli will play for RCB for the 18th season. With a strong opening record, the IPL’s top run scorer is anticipated to lead from the front. At Eden Gardens, the real bounce should help Kohli’s stroke play. His recent strong batting performance at the Champions Trophy 2025 will give the former captain more self-assurance.
Middle-order – Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma
Three years later, Devdutt Padikkal is back with the RCB and will start at number three. The adventurous left-hander will want to repeat his performance from his initial tenure with the team.
When Rajat Patidar becomes the captaincy, a new challenge awaits him. He was one of the three players that RCB kept before the November 2024 mega-auction. A key role in the middle overs will be played by the spin basher.
Jitesh Sharma, a gifted batsman and wicketkeeper, was another important auction selection. Even though he had a lacklustre three years with the Punjab Kings, RCB will try to realise his enormous potential.
All-rounders – Liam Livingstone, Tim David, Krunal Pandya
Liam Livingstone’s performance in international cricket has been lacking at both bat and ball. The English all-rounder has a new opportunity to find his lost spark thanks to the IPL.
The last three seasons saw Tim David lead the Mumbai Indians in scoring. With his powerful hitting ability, he will be keen to finish games and is anticipated to start at number seven. Even though David hasn’t bowled in a while, he might be given an over now and again.
Krunal Pandya has demonstrated his ability to deliver late-night pyrotechnics with the bat for his past IPL teams. His most useful skill, though, is still his left-arm spin. Being the only frontline spinner, he will have to manage the run flow and make important breakthroughs.
Bowlers – Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal
Although Bhuvneshwar Kumar is no longer a member of the Indian team, his ability to swing the ball and hit accurate yorkers in the final overs is still very significant. It is anticipated that the IPL veteran will spearhead the new-ball onslaught.
Josh Hazlewood, a pacer, was RCB’s most costly acquisition during the two-day event in Jeddah last year, landing a deal worth INR 12.50 crore. His return to competitive cricket after three months will be against KKR, where he is expected to lead the pace attack with Bhuvneshwar.
The squad’s sole bowler who has been retained, Yash Dayal, will be under tremendous strain. The left-arm pacer, like Hazlewood, did not participate in a competitive match last year. Dayal is anticipated to play a significant part in the season as a whole, not just in the first game, because to his expanded skill set.
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