Champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will play against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the first match of IPL 2025 on Saturday at Eden Gardens. But the biggest clash faces a major threat, as rain forecasts predict an 80% chance of precipitation, risking delays or even abandonment.
Adding to the drama, the two teams will have new captains this year. Ajinkya Rahane will captain KKR, and RCB has put the captaincy with Rajat Patidar. Fans cannot wait to find out how the two new leaders take their sides into the new IPL season.
Ajinkya Rahane’s Viral Video Sparks Buzz
A pre-match viral video of KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane has stolen the limelight on social media. The clip purportedly indicates Rahane attempting to catch up with the team bus with a bat in his hand as it departs for practice. Even though the veracity of the video is still to be proven, it has provided an unintended shot of humor to the pre-match hype.
KKR team bus leaving without their captain Rahane 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/j9GjlqyKcl
— Pick-up Shot (@96ShreyasIyer) March 21, 2025
IMD Declares Orange Alert for Kolkata
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has announced an “orange alert” for Kolkata, predicting thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds up to Saturday. This follows after periodic showers ruined KKR’s inter-squad practice match, truncating it after one innings. Rain disrupted practice sessions earlier in the week, raising concerns about the playing conditions for the big match.
Sourav Ganguly Weighs In on IPL 2025 Contenders
Former KKR skipper Sourav Ganguly gave his views on the upcoming season, insisting that it is too early to make any suggestion about which teams will rule IPL 2025.
“It is too early to comment. The tournament is too long and competitive. All teams are balanced,” Ganguly said in a media interaction.
KKR vs RCB: Full Squads
Kolkata Knight Riders Squad
Quinton de Kock (w), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Spencer Johnson, Vaibhav Arora, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Manish Pandey, Moeen Ali, Anrich Nortje, Rovman Powell, Anukul Roy, Mayank Markande, Chetan Sakariya, Luvnith Sisodia.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Squad
Virat Kohli, Philip Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (w), Liam Livingstone, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Swapnil Singh, Lungi Ngidi, Romario Shepherd, Manoj Bhandage, Rasikh Dar Salam, Nuwan Thushara, Jacob Bethell, Suyash Sharma, Mohit Rathee, Swastik Chikara, Abhinandan Singh.
