KKR vs RCB: Predicted Playing XI for Match 1 of IPL 2025
Get the predicted playing XI for KKR vs RCB in Match 1 of IPL 2025. Check the full squad, impact players, key battles, and match details ahead of the opening clash at Eden Gardens.
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The IPL 2025 tournament commences with an intriguing battle between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the legendary Eden Gardens. Being the defending champions, KKR will seek a strong start with the guidance of experienced Ajinkya Rahane, whereas RCB embarks on a new journey with youthful captain Rajat Patidar.
Match Details
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | KKR vs RCB |
| Date | March 22, 2025 |
| Time | 7:30 PM IST |
| Venue | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| Live Telecast | Star Sports |
| Live Streaming | JioHotstar |
Kolkata Knight Riders - Predicted Playing XI
| Player Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Quinton de Kock | Wicketkeeper, Opener |
| Sunil Narine | All-rounder |
| Ajinkya Rahane | Captain, Batter |
| Venkatesh Iyer | All-rounder |
| Rinku Singh | Batter |
| Andre Russell | All-rounder |
| Ramandeep Singh | Batter |
| Harshit Rana | Fast Bowler |
| Anrich Nortje | Fast Bowler |
| Vaibhav Arora | Fast Bowler |
| Varun Chakravarthy | Spinner |
Impact Players:
Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Chetan Sakariya, Mayank Markande, Anukul Roy, Luvnith Sisodia
Royal Challengers Bengaluru - Predicted Playing XI
| Player Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Virat Kohli | Batter |
| Phil Salt | Wicketkeeper, Opener |
| Rajat Patidar | Captain, Batter |
| Liam Livingstone | Batter, All-rounder |
| Tim David | Batter, Finisher |
| Jitesh Sharma | Wicketkeeper, Batter |
| Krunal Pandya | All-rounder |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Fast Bowler |
| Josh Hazlewood | Fast Bowler |
| Yash Dayal | Fast Bowler |
| Suyash Sharma | Spinner |
Impact Players:
Devdutt Padikkal, Romario Shepherd, Lungi Ngidi, Swastik Chhikara, Mohit Rathee
ALSO SEE: KKR vs RCB Today Match Prediction – Who Will Win? | Match 1, IPL 2025 Preview & Analysis
Key Players to Watch
| Team | Key Players |
|---|---|
| KKR | Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Venkatesh Iyer |
| RCB | Virat Kohli, Liam Livingstone, Josh Hazlewood, Tim David |
Key Battles to Watch Out For
| Match-Up | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Virat Kohli vs Varun Chakravarthy | Kohli’s struggle against spin makes this one to watch |
| Russell vs Hazlewood | Raw power meets precision bowling |
| Venkatesh Iyer vs Bhuvneshwar | Swing bowling against aggressive top-order batting |
| Livingstone vs Narine | A tactical face-off between spin and explosive intent |
Squads:
KKR squad: Ajinkya Rahane (captain), Venkatesh Iyer (vice-captain), Quinton de Kock (wk), Rovman Powell (wk), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Luvnith Sisodia (wk), Manish Pandey, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Ramandeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Moeen Ali, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Anukul Roy, Vaibhav Arora, Spencer Johnson, Mayank Markande, Anrich Nortje, Umran Malik, Varun Chakravarthy.
RCB squad: 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.
ALSO SEE: KKR vs RCB Today Match Prediction – Who Will Win? | Match 1, IPL 2025 Preview & Analysis
Match Preview Summary
With a full Eden Gardens house behind them, KKR enjoys the home ground and the experience of the likes of Rahane, Russell, and Narine. But RCB's opening order, driven by Virat Kohli and Phil Salt, cannot be underestimated.
Rajat Patidar has huge boots to fill when he leads RCB for the first time, whereas KKR's better-balanced and settled line-up provides a margin of superiority for them entering the opener.
The game is not just an opening game for the season – it determines the tempo for the entire league. Be prepared for drama, heat, and quality cricket as two favorite teams of the crowd face off in the first encounter of IPL 2025.
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