The defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) took on the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the tournament opener of the ongoing IPL 2025. The team played under the captaincy of newly appointed skipper Ajinkya Rahane. The hosts were asked to bat first by RCB’s toss-winning skipper Rajat Patidar.
Batting first, KKR posted an ‘average’ total of 174 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in the allotted 20 overs. It was chased down comfortably by RCB in just 16.2 overs courtesy of the brilliant half-century knocks played by opener Phil Salt and former skipper Virat Kohli.
With that said, here we’ll look at the 3 reasons why KKR lost to RCB in the IPL 2025 tournament opener at their home ground, Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
1. Rahane’s confused captaincy in the second innings
RCB openers Phil Salt and Virat Kohli launched a brutal attack on KKR bowlers in the powerplay during the second innings. The duo stitched a sensational 95-run partnership for the first wicket in just 8.3 overs. It happened to put the opponent skipper Ajinkya Rahane in a defensive mode.
Feeling the pressure of the Salt-Kohli onslaught, Rahane looked quite clueless and confused and he was forced to introduce Varun Chakravarthy into the bowling in a closed fielding setup. It happened to cost KKR their campaign opener. With this, it can also be understood that Rahane failed to understand the dynamics of the fastest format of the game as a captain.
2. Bowlers losing rhythm after the initial attack
After getting outmuscled by Phil Salt and Virat Kohli in the powerplay overs during the second innings, the KKR bowlers seemed to lose their rhythm. They were seen bowling with this lost rhythm till RCB ended up defeating the hosts by a big 7-wicket margin.
Except for Sunil Narine, all of the KKR bowlers conceded runs more than the economy rate of 10. So, KKR the bowlers going under-confident after an initial attack from the RCB batters ended up being one of the major reasons behind the 7-wicket defeat of the holders in a home game.
3. Salt’s Assault
Apart from the above-mentioned, what made the difference between RCB’s win and KKR’s desperate efforts to make a comeback was the swashbuckling approach of Phil Salt. The newly recruited member of RCB who earlier played with KKR completely used his experience of being familiar with their bowling attack.
The star opener smashed 56 runs off just 31 balls, with nine fours and two sixes, with an outstanding batting strike rate of 180.64. He also stitched a match-winning and decisive opening partnership of 95 runs with former RCB skipper Virat Kohli in just 8.3 overs. So, Salt’s fearless batting approach also became one of the reasons for KKR’s defeat against RCB.
Disclaimer: This Exclusive News is based on the author’s understanding, analysis, and instinct. As you review this information, consider the points mentioned and form your own conclusions.
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