The defending Champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are set to take on the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the tournament opener of the Indian Premier League 2025 (IPL 2025). The game will be played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday, March 22, at 7:30 PM (IST).
Notably, it is happening after a long wait of 17 years in the history of the Indian Premier League when KKR and RCB will be facing off in the tournament opener. Earlier, it happened in the tournament’s inaugural edition in 2008.
With that said, here we’ll have a look at the predicted playing XI of the Kolkata Knight Riders for their campaign opener against RCB.
Openers
The holders KKR might go ahead with the opening pair of wicketkeeper-batter Quinton de Kock and star all-rounder Sunil Narine. De Kock has been one of the most crucial players in the franchise T20 leagues across the world. He can play a crucial role with the bat for KKR while opening the innings.
Speaking of Narine, he has scored 321 runs in the last 10 T20 matches, with a brilliant batting average of 35.67 and a strike rate of 179.32. So, it seems to be the perfect opening pair for KKR while taking the field in the game against RCB.
Middle-Order
The middle order of the Kolkata Knight Riders is expected to start with the newly appointed skipper Ajinkya Rahane to bat at number three. He was in a decent run of form with the bat in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024-25. So, he will play a crucial role for his side in the top middle order.
Following him, KKR’s expensive pick Venkatesh Iyer will be there to bat at number four; he can play the big knocks to help KKR post a big total on the board. Star Southpaw Rinku Singh will be there to bat at number five, he has a knack for hitting some big shots and scoring as many runs as possible in the death overs.
All-Rounders
The all-rounder duo for KKR will include the veteran Caribbean all-rounder Andre Russell and the star India all-rounder Ramandeep Singh. Russell’s muscle power will get him some big sixes in the death overs to help his side post a massive total on the board. He can also contribute with the ball, scalping some crucial wickets in the middle overs.
Besides Russell, Ramandeep Singh can also play a vital role, both with the bat and the ball; he can also be very effective with his amazing fielding skills in the deep region.
Bowlers
The bowling attack of the reigning champions KKR will include three out-and-out pacers in the attack, including the likes of the veteran SA pacer Anrich Nortje, India’s Champions Trophy-winning pacer Harshit Rana and the young pacer Vaibhav Arora. Rana and Nortje might pose a serious threat to the opponent batters, especially in the powerplay phase of the innings.
The pace trio will be accompanied by the star in-form India spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who ended up as the leading wicket-taker for India in the recently concluded ICC Champions Trophy 2025. He scalped 9 wickets in just three innings, including a sensational five-wicket haul in the last league match against New Zealand.
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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