“It’s always good to win the first game, but there are some lessons to be learnt from there. We could have capitalised (on the start); we could have got more runs, but we lost wickets towards the end of the innings. Whatever you do, there is always an opportunity to bowl better”
RR vs KKR in numbers
KKR vs RR Live Score: Both teams looking to bounce back after tough defeats in their IPL openers
KKR vs RR Live Score: “For me, it’s all about contribution”
Ajinkya Rahane wasted no time in making a statement on his suitability in Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) batting lineup, delivering a stellar 56 off 31 balls in their IPL 2025 opener against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
“I hope you all enjoyed my innings rather than me enjoying my batting,” Rahane said at the post-match press conference.
“For me, it’s all about contributing for the team and that’s what matters to me. Whatever runs I score, it’s always about the contribution. An innings of 56 on the winning side would have been really nice. But it’s fine,” he added.
Reflecting on the defeat, Rahane pointed to KKR’s dramatic collapse in the latter half of their innings as the turning point. At 107/1 after ten overs, they seemed well on course for a total beyond 200, especially with Sunil Narine’s 44 complementing Rahane’s half-century. However, the middle order, usuallly the backbone of KKR’s batting failed to capitalize, leading to a slump that saw them finish at 174/9.
Apart from Angkrish Raghuvanshi’s 30 at number 5, contributions were minimal, and KKR managed a mere 23 runs in the last four overs. That proved costly, as RCB chased down the target with ease, winning with 22 balls to spare.
“It is the first game of the season and the batting line-up which we have, we have guys who like to go after the bowlers,” Rahane said.
“As a team, I thought there are a few areas we did well and there’s always areas we can improve,” he added.
“I thought RCB bowled really well in the powerplay, but important was how they picked up wickets in the 13th and 14th overs [13th to 16th – they went from 125 for 3 to 150 for 6]. Those were crucial since that was the momentum-changer. I don’t focus on all the negative things because this side has players who have done very well for this franchise in the past. So I’m going to back them. In the game tonight it didn’t work out, but it’s okay,” he noted.
KKR vs RR Live Score: SQUADS
Kolkata Knight Riders: Ajinkya Rahane (captain), Rinku Singh, Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Rovman Powell, Manish Pandey, Luvnity Sisodia, Venkatesh Iyer, Anukul Roy, Moeen Ali, Ramandeep Singh, Andre Russell, Anrich Nortje, Vaibhav Arora, Mayank Markhande, Spencer Johnson, Harshit Rana, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, Chetan Sakariya.
Rajasthan Royals: Riyan Parag (stand-in captain), Sanju Samson, Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Kunal Rathore, Shimron Hetmyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Rana, Yudhvir Singh, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga, Akash Madhwal, Kumar Kartikeya Singh, Tushar Deshpande, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kwena Maphaka, Ashok Sharma, Sandeep Sharma.
KKR vs RR Live Score: RR’S BOWLING NEEDS A TURNAROUND
On the other hand, Rajasthan’s bowling unit needs a major improvement after their dismal showing against SRH.
Jofra Archer, who recorded the most expensive spell in IPL history by conceding 76 runs, along with Fazalhaq Farooqi and Maheesh Theekshana, struggled against the aggressive batting of Travis Head and Ishan Kishan.
Guwahati presents them with a chance to redeem themselves.
Stand-in captain Riyan Parag also faces a leadership test.
At times, he appeared uncertain in making key decisions against SRH, and the Royals will be looking for sharper decision-making from him in this crucial fixture.
KKR vs RR Live Score: KKR’S MIDDLE ORDER UNDER PRESSURE
KKR’s middle-order collapse in the previous match was another area of concern. Despite a fiery start from skipper Ajinkya Rahane and Narine, the team failed to capitalize, eventually posting a below-par total.
Key batters like Venkatesh Iyer and Andre Russell fell to premeditated cross-batted shots, something the team will look to rectify.
KKR will also be hoping for a strong performance from Rinku Singh, who has struggled for runs in recent outings.
His finishing ability is crucial in converting competitive totals into formidable ones.
Rinku’s recent T20 form has been underwhelming, with scores of 11, 9, 8, 30, and 9 in his last five international innings, along with a 12 in the IPL opener.
KKR vs RR Live Score: Hello and welcome!
Hello and welcome to the Live coverage of IPL 2025 match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals.
After suffering defeats in their previous matches, defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals will be eager to bounce back when they face off in an IPL encounter on Wednesday. KKR fell to Royal Challengers Bengaluru by seven wickets in the tournament opener, while RR endured a heavy 44-run loss against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Both teams struggled in their respective matches, with their batting and bowling units failing to deliver.
While Rajasthan’s bowlers could blame the flat Hyderabad pitch for their struggles, Kolkata had no such excuse. Apart from Sunil Narine, none of KKR’s bowlers managed to contain RCB’s batters, raising concerns, particularly about mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy. Despite playing on an Eden Gardens pitch that offered some grip, Chakravarthy was taken apart by Phil Salt and Virat Kohli.
The KKR camp hopes that the spinner will regain his rhythm on a Guwahati surface that traditionally offers some assistance. They will also be monitoring the fitness of Anrich Nortje, who is recovering from a back strain. If cleared by the medical team, the South African pacer is expected to replace Spencer Johnson in the playing XI.
