The much-awaited opening game of IPL 2025 between defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Eden Gardens on Saturday is threatened by a significant obstacle, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) declaring an Orange Alert for Kolkata.
Thunderstorms and heavy rain are forecast from Thursday through Sunday, threatening the game’s possible total abandonment. There is a Yellow Alert for Sunday, which further aggravates the weather-related disruption concerns.
IPL 2025 Rules on Weather Delays
League-stage matches, as per IPL rules, have a one-hour buffer period, so the deadline for a five-over match is 10:56 PM IST, and play must finish by 12:06 AM IST. Rain has already disrupted preparations, with KKR’s intra-squad practice match this week being washed out after one inning.
KKR vs RCB Head-to-Head Record
In their years of head-to-head clashes, KKR has dominated RCB:
Total Matches: 34
KKR Wins: 20
RCB Wins: 14
Last 5 Matches:
KKR Wins: 4
RCB Wins: 1
KKR’s Captaincy Shift: Rahane Takes Charge
KKR has undergone a major leadership shift, making Ajinkya Rahane their captain after letting go of Shreyas Iyer, who was bought by Punjab Kings for Rs 26.75 crore and subsequently made their skipper. Rahane’s experience and calmness will be the most important as KKR looks to win a fourth IPL title.
Meanwhile, RCB have pinned their hopes on Rajat Patidar, who takes charge of the captaincy after the team released Faf du Plessis. With RCB still waiting to win their first IPL title in 17 seasons, Patidar will seek to guide his team to a fine start.
Eden Gardens Pitch Report
Eden Gardens is a surface that batsmen love, and an average score of 180-190 in the last couple of IPL seasons has been achieved. Yet, hard-length bowlers and spinners who can hold lines tight have thrived. Varun Chakaravarthy and Sunil Narine will be pivotal with the ball for KKR, and RCB’s pace bowlers will have to acclimatize to the conditions.
Where to Watch KKR vs RCB Live?
TV Telecast: Star Sports Network, Sports18 Network
Live Streaming: JioHotstar app and website
Match Timing: 7:30 PM IST, with the toss at 7:00 PM IST
Where to Purchase KKR vs RCB Match Tickets?
The tickets for the highly anticipated encounter are up for grabs on:
- KKR’s official website
- BookMyShow
- Eden Gardens ticket booths
KKR vs RCB Squad
Kolkata Knight Riders:
Ajinkya Rahane (c), Rinku Singh, Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Venkatesh Iyer, Ramandeep Singh, Andre Russell, Anrich Nortje, Harshit Rana, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakaravarthy, Vaibhav Arora, Mayank Markande, Rovman Powell, Manish Pandey, Spencer Johnson, Luvnith Sisodia, Anukul Roy, Moeen Ali, Chetan Sakariya.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru:
Rajat Patidar (c), Virat Kohli, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Liam Livingstone, Rasikh Dar, Suyash Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Nuwan Thushara, Manoj Bhandage, Jacob Bethel, Devdutt Padikkal, Swastik Chhikara, Lungi Ngidi, Abhinandan Singh, Mohit Rathee.
Even with the threat of impending rain, hype for the IPL 2025 opener does not seem to have dampened. With new skippers, new tactics, and a capacity Eden Gardens attendance, KKR vs RCB looks set to bring a fiery season opener. Stay tuned for live action and match day weather updates!
