The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season is set to begin on March 22, 2025, with the defending champions, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), facing the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Both teams will be under new leadership this season; veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane captains KKR, replacing Shreyas Iyer, while RCB appoints Rajat Patidar as their new captain after parting ways with Faf du Plessis.
The match promises intriguing player battles, notably
Sunil Narine vs. Virat Kohli: Narine has dismissed Kohli four times in IPL encounters, with Kohli accumulating 127 runs against him at a strike rate of 107.62.
Rajat Patidar vs. Varun Chakravarthy: Patidar’s aggressive approach to spin bowling contrasts with Chakravarthy’s deceptive deliveries, having taken 14 wickets against RCB since 2020.
Quinton de Kock vs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar: Bhuvneshwar’s swing bowling challenges de Kock, who has scored 57 runs off 58 balls faced from him in past IPL meetings
The Eden Gardens pitch typically favors batsmen, offering true bounce, but spinners may gain an advantage as the match progresses. Historically, teams chasing have had a slight edge at this venue.
Fans can anticipate a high-octane start to the IPL 2025 season, with both teams eager to kick off their campaigns with a victory.