Last Updated on 1 month by Charbel Coorey

It’s a blockbuster 1st match of IPL 2025 with defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) hosting title hopefuls Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Eden Gardens.

It was a dream campaign for KKR in 2024, but the mega auction has brought changes. While they have retained their core including Sunil Narine, Andre Russell and Varun Chakravarthy, KKR no longer have Shreyas Iyer at the helm. That mantle has been passed onto Ajinkya Rahane, and he will be seeking the perfect start.

For RCB, another season of promise begins with Rajat Patidar the new skipper. After an auction where they looked for a balanced unit rather than the big names, they settled on a squad that has potential. Phil Salt returns to the ground where he was so strong at last season, and he and Virat Kohli can form a strong partnership.

But, whether the middle order can effectively handle KKR’s spinners will be key, and the spotlight will be on RCB’s bowling attack against KKR’s strong batting lineup.

In this article, we will look at the possible playing XIIs, Eden Gardens conditions, fantasy tips, matchups and Dream11 Prediction for the 1st match of IPL 2025 between KKR and RCB.

IPL 2025 1st Match: KKR vs RCB Possible Playing XIs plus Impact Player

KKR could opt for Quinton de Kock over Rahmanullah Gurbaz to open with Sunil Narine. Also, where Venkatesh Iyer will bat could prove to be an important move.

Kolkata Knight Riders: 1. Quinton de Kock (OS, wk), 2. Sunil Narine (OS), 3. Ajinkya Rahane (c), 4. Angkrish Raghuvanshi, 5. Venkatesh Iyer, 6. Rinku Singh (impact), 7. Andre Russell (OS), 8. Ramandeep Singh, 9. Harshit Rana, 10. Spencer Johnson (OS), 11. Varun Chakravarthy, 12. Vaibhav Arora (impact)

RCB have plenty of right-handers in their squad. Jacob Bethell is an option, but he may not find a place in the XII right away. Devdutt Padikkal is another option, but can he be effective enough if he doesn’t open?

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 1. Virat Kohli, 2. Phil Salt (OS), 3. Rajat Patidar (c), 4. Krunal Pandya, 5. Jitesh Sharma (wk), 6. Liam Livingstone (OS), 7. Tim David (OS, impact), 8. Rasikh Salam Dar, 9. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10. Josh Hazlewood (OS), 11. Yash Dayal, 12. Suyash Sharma (impact)

Eden Gardens Kolkata Pitch Report and Weather

Eden Gardens played host to very high-scoring matches in IPL 2024. The most notable was when Punjab Kings chased down KKR’s 261 with eight balls to spare on 27th April.

The average first innings score on this ground last season was 197.86 at a run rate of 10.18. The chasing team won four of the seven games. KKR won two very close games when batting first (four runs against SRH and one run against RCB). So, the captain who wins the toss is likely to chase.

A warm and overcast day is forecast with a top of 30 degrees. However, AccuWeather forecasts rain and thunderstorms in the evening which could impact this game.

KKR vs RCB Fantasy Tips: Top Picks/Key Players to Watch

Top wicket-keeper picks:

• Phil Salt has been in shaky form, but he returns to a ground he enjoys batting at. In eight innings at Eden Gardens, Salt has smashed 350 runs at an average of 50.00 and strike rate of 182.29.

Key batter picks:

• 2024 Orange Cap winner Virat Kohli is in fine form after a strong Champions Trophy. He is the leading run-scorer in RCB-KKR matches with 962 at an average of 37.00 and strike rate of 131.42.
• Rajat Patidar is a fantastic spin-hitter. Since the start of 2023, he has smashed 215 runs against spin at an average of 107.5 and strike rate of 197.2.
• Venkatesh Iyer can tap into RCB’s lack of top class spin bowling. The left-hander was superb in the IPL last season, where he scored 370 runs at an average of 46.25 and strike rate of 158.79.

Top all-rounder picks:

• Sunil Narine is a must-pick in Dream11 and leading captaincy option. He will open the batting (he scored 488 runs in 2024 at a strike rate of 180.74) and has the most wickets in RCB-KKR matches (26).
• Andre Russell strikes at 197.98 (392 runs) and has 17 wickets against RCB. Another must-pick.

Key bowler picks:

• Varun Chakravarthy is a must-pick given the form he is in. He has 14 wickets in 10 matches vs RCB at an economy of 6.80, plus 24 wickets at Eden Gardens at a strike rate of 15.17.
• Josh Hazlewood has a good head-to-head record against Quinton de Kock in all T20s: 29 balls, 38 runs, three dismissals.
• Bhuvneshwar Kumar has fantastic head-to-head figures against KKR’s top three in the IPL: 2/31 off 28 balls vs Narine, 1/57 off 58 balls vs de Kock, 7/104 off 117 balls vs Rahane.

Other Players to Consider for your Fantasy Cricket Teams

• Quinton de Kock is having a quiet year in T20s (8 inns, 159 runs, avg. 19.88, SR 115.22) but he can fire on a good batting pitch. How he handles Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar upfront will be crucial.
• Harshit Rana could go for runs but he is a wicket-taker. He took the fourth-most wickets in IPL 2024 (19), including four against RCB.
• Liam Livingstone has an important all-round role to play for RCB. He is expected to come in later and finish the innings, and can contribute with some overs.
• Jitesh Sharma is a solid spin-hitter. He strikes at 144.1 against spin since the start of 2023, although he has been dismissed eight times (avg. 22.9).
• Rasikh Salam Dar can be a differential pick. He took nine wickets in IPL 2024 at a strike rate of 16.33.
• Angkrish Raghuvanshi has shown promise in T20s, although he has just the one fifty in 18 innings to date. On a good surface, he is worth considering especially if he bats in the top four.

Other Stats and Important Matchups

• Head-to-head: Matches 35, KKR 21, RCB 14.
• KKR have won the past four matches against RCB.
• KKR may look to implement spin early to Virat Kohli. Sunil Narine has conceded 127 off 118 against him (four dismissals) and Varun Chakravarthy 40 off 39 balls (one dismissal).
• Andre Russell has smashed 97 off 37 balls against Bhuvneshwar Kumar (one dismissal) and 41 off 17 against Yash Dayal (no dismissals) in the IPL.
• Virat Kohli at Eden Gardens in the IPL: 16 inns, 510 runs, avg. 39.23, SR 130.10.
• Ajinkya Rahane averages just 18.43 with a strike rate of 120 in 15 T20s at Eden Gardens.
• Venkatesh Iyer vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar: 36 balls, 49 runs, no dismissal.

IPL 2025 1st Match: KKR vs RCB Dream11 Prediction

Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time. Use the stats and commentary in this article, as well as your own instincts, to create your teams.

Option 1:

Option 2:

IPL 2025 1st Match: KKR vs RCB Match Prediction – Who will win?

Weather permitting, KKR is our pick to win this match at home.

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