Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) will meet in their second match of the IPL 2025 season on Wednesday, March 26. Both teams are desperate for a win after tough losses in their opening games. Kolkata fell short against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, while Rajasthan struggled against a dominant SunRisers Hyderabad.
Weather and Toss Could Be Game-Changers
Now, the action moves to Baraspara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. The weather could significantly impact the game. During the day, temperatures remain high, but nights are much cooler. As a result, dew might come into play in the second innings. Therefore, the toss will be crucial, as teams may prefer to chase under dewy conditions.
KKR Needs to Address Batting and Bowling Issues
Kolkata had a strong start in their last game. However, their middle order collapsed, failing to build on the early momentum. Consequently, the team management must fix this issue before facing Rajasthan. Additionally, their bowling lacked impact. Surprisingly, captain Ajinkya Rahane did not bring in Harshit Rana or Sunil Narine early, despite their proven effectiveness. This decision arguably cost them the game.
RR Hopes to Bounce Back After Hyderabad Defeat
Meanwhile, Rajasthan also faces challenges. They suffered a heavy 44-run loss against Hyderabad. However, their management will not panic just yet. The match was played on a high-scoring surface, which helped Hyderabad’s batters post a massive 286-run total. In response, Sanju Samson, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, and Shubham Dubey tried to fight back. Nevertheless, their efforts were not enough to secure a win.
High-Scoring Battle Expected in Guwahati
Looking ahead, both teams will be eager to secure their first victory. Given the pitch conditions, another high-scoring contest is likely. The Baraspara surface favors batters, making it tough for bowlers to contain runs. Generally, a target above 220 is considered safe. However, in modern T20 cricket, no total is truly safe.
Match Squads
Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Nitish Rana, Riyan Parag (c), Shimron Hetmyer, Dhruv Jurel (w), Shubham Dubey, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jofra Archer, Tushar Deshpande, Sandeep Sharma, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash Madhwal, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Maheesh Theekshana, Kwena Maphaka, Ashok Sharma, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Kunal Singh Rathore
Kolkata Knight Riders: Quinton de Kock (w), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Spencer Johnson, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Anrich Nortje, Manish Pandey, Vaibhav Arora, Anukul Roy, Luvnith Sisodia, Chetan Sakariya, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Mayank Markande, Rovman Powell, Moeen Ali
