KKR vs RCB Match Prediction | 1st Match

KKR vs RCB Betting Tips

As the reigning champions, the Knight Riders will be looking for a strong start to defend the title. Virat Kohli’s men will once again be hunting their maiden IPL title. The team has finished runners-up three times. They lost in the IPL final in 2009, 2011 and 2016. A loss for them would add to the frustration of their first championship forever getting away from them.

Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Head-to-Head Record

Kolkata Knight Riders have won four consecutive matches against their competitors from Bangalore. The last time that Royal Challengers Bangalore claimed victory against Kolkata Knight Riders was in 2022.

Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Live-streaming and Broadcast

Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore take on each other in a 2025 IPL opening match that many fans will be licking their lips for. The match will take place at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Saturday, 22 March 2025. The game will be available to watch on the Star Sports Network and the JioHotstar app in India.

KKR vs RCB Team Previews

Kolkata Knight Riders

The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) enter the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season with a dynamic blend of seasoned veterans and emerging talents. Leading the charge is newly appointed captain Ajinkya Rahane. His leadership was instrumental in India's historic Test series win in Australia during the 2020-21 season. He should be no stranger to dealing with pressure.

At the top of the order, Afghan wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz brings explosive batting prowess. The experience of English all-rounder Moeen Ali with aggressive stroke play and off-spin bowling is a welcome addition to the group. 37-year-old Ali has over 1000 IPL runs.

Venkatesh Iyer has been around the national team because of IPL performances. He will look to reignite the form that brought him into the Indian national team spotlight. The left-hander hit a half-century when his Kolkata side visited the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

The middle order is bolstered by the dependable Rinku Singh and the explosive Andre Russell. Their abilities to change the game's complexion in a few overs, even balls, is well-documented. The West Indian Russell claimed a player-of-the-match award against Bangalore last year.

Ramandeep Singh's adaptability as a middle-order batter provides additional flexibility to the lineup and its power-hitting after the powerplay.

KKR's bowling arsenal features the enigmatic Sunil Narine. The West Indian’s mystery spin continues to baffle batters. He is supported by the young pacers Vaibhav Arora and Harshit Rana. Both will be eager to make their mark this season. Narine and Rana both scalped two wickets against Bangalore at Eden Gardens last season. Rana did so in Bengaluru as well.

Adding to the spin department is Varun Chakravarthy. The mystery spinner has deceptive variations and is consistent in delivering breakthroughs. Chakravarthy has 16 IPL wickets in his last nine IPL games.

Kolkata Knight Riders Expected Playing 11

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Virat Kohli's batting prowess remains a cornerstone for both the brand and culture of RCB. The legendary Kohli hit 83 runs unbeaten against this opposition when the teams played in Bengaluru in 2024. Supporting him is the explosive wicketkeeper-batter Phil Salt. With agility behind the stumps and attacking shots in the powerplay, he should start for most of the season.

Emerging talent Devdutt Padikkal returns to RCB. He will be eager to showcase his elegant stroke play in the red and gold again after missing out from 2022 to 2024. Captain Rajat Patidar has been retained for his consistent performances and will bring new ideas to the team. He hit a half-century against Kolkata last season.

The dynamic all-rounder Liam Livingstone is expected to exploit the favourable batting conditions at Eden Gardens. The Englishman has over 6700 T20 runs in his career. Power-hitter Tim David brings brute force to the middle order.

All-rounder Krunal Pandya's left-arm spin and batting versatility offer strategic options for the captain to use throughout the innings. He has also won the IPL before in the blue of Mumbai Indians.

In the bowling department, left-arm pacer Yash Dayal is a retained asset from last season. His different angle gives Patidar variation in bowling to work with. He took a two-fer in his previous IPL match against KKR. Seasoned swing bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar will attempt to solve some of the Royal Challengers annual problem of not taking wickets regularly.

The Indian pacer’s T20 career includes 310 wickets with five four-wicket hauls and five five-wicket hauls. Australian speedster Josh Hazlewood brings experience and pace to the attack. His new-ball threat alongside Kumar should be a strong sign that the Bangalore team can take wickets in the powerplay. Australian Hazlewood has 35 IPL wickets.

Young leg-spinner Suyash Sharma had a significant start to his IPL career with contributions for eventual champions Kolkata Knight Riders.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Expected Playing 11

KKR vs RCB Toss Prediction

Both teams could prefer chasing on a brand-new wicket. The Kolkata Knight Riders won their title in 2024 after chasing. Royal Challengers Bangalore’s previous win against the Knight Riders came through chasing too.

Pitch and Conditions

The pitch at Eden Gardens, Kolkata is generally known for being a batting-friendly wicket. There should be an offering of good bounce and carry with the new ball. The dryness could help the spinners. This should be a venue for both exciting stroke play and effective spin bowling. In T20s, the shorter boundaries and quick outfield often lead to high-scoring encounters. The home side scored 157 for seven in 16 overs in their previous home game.

Weather conditions will be scorching with added humidity. There is no chance of rain on matchday one.

KKR vs RCB: Who Will Win?

This match features two teams who secured qualification the 2024 IPL play-offs. Both squads will have the quality to get a result over the other. This IPL 2025 opener could give us an early hint of what RCB have to offer with the ball. The contest between the Kolkata batters and the Bangalore bowlers could define the match.

We also think the presence of in-form players like Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, and Rinku Singh could give KKR the edge. KKR vs RCB win percentage is 55% in favor of KKR at the moment.

Bet on KKR to win this match