The Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are set to clash in a high-stakes encounter after both teams suffered defeats in their opening matches of IPL 2025. With pride and momentum at stake, this match could be a turning point for either side.
A Battle for Redemption
Defending champions KKR stumbled against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), while Rajasthan Royals fell short against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Now, both teams are desperate to register their first win of the season.
Rajasthan is currently playing without their regular captain, Sanju Samson, who featured as an impact player in the last game. His role in this match remains uncertain, adding another layer of intrigue to this contest.
Head-to-Head: A Neck-and-Neck Rivalry
The RR vs KKR rivalry has always been tightly contested. Out of 29 IPL matches played between these two teams, both have won 14 each, with one match ending in a no-result.
However, in their first matches of IPL 2025, both teams struggled with batting collapses and bowling inconsistencies. Can they turn things around this time?
Key Concerns for KKR
- Varun Chakravarthy’s Poor Form: The mystery spinner was taken apart by Phil Salt and Virat Kohli in the last match. His performance will be crucial against Rajasthan’s strong batting lineup.
- Middle-Order Collapse: After the dismissals of Ajinkya Rahane and Sunil Narine, KKR’s middle order crumbled. Venkatesh Iyer and Andre Russell need to step up with smarter shot selection.
- Anrich Nortje’s Fitness: The South African speedster is recovering from back stiffness. If fit, he could replace Spencer Johnson, adding much-needed firepower to KKR’s pace attack.
Rajasthan’s Bowling Woes
Rajasthan’s bowling unit was hammered by SRH, with Jofra Archer conceding 76 runs in his four overs. Fazalhaq Farooqi and Mahesh Theekshana also struggled to contain the batters.
If Rajasthan hopes to win, their bowlers must regroup quickly and deliver a disciplined performance.
Predicted Playing 11 for RR vs KKR
Rajasthan Royals (RR) Probable XI:
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Nitish Rana
- Riyan Parag (Captain)
- Dhruv Jurel (WK)
- Shimron Hetmyer
- Shubham Dubey
- Jofra Archer
- Mahesh Theekshana
- Tushar Deshpande
- Sandeep Sharma
- Fazalhaq Farooqi
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Probable XI:
- Quinton de Kock (WK)
- Sunil Narine
- Ajinkya Rahane (Captain)
- Angkrish Raghuvanshi
- Venkatesh Iyer
- Rinku Singh
- Andre Russell
- Ramandeep Singh
- Spencer Johnson / Anrich Nortje
- Harshit Rana
- Varun Chakravarthy
Match Details
- Date: Wednesday, March 26, 2025
- Venue: Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati
- Time: 7:30 PM IST (Toss at 7:00 PM)
- TV Broadcast: Star Sports Network
- Live Streaming: JioCinema & Hotstar