KKR vs RCB IPL 2025 Opener: Key Highlights and Performances
By Gurlal Singh
Cricket Player who is writing about cricket now.
Posted: June 5, 2025
Last updated: June 6, 2025
The IPL 2025 season kicked off with an exciting match between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Eden Gardens. In what marked a thrilling start to the season, RCB captain Rajat Patidar won the toss and opted to bowl against KKR.
KKR set a target of 174/8 in their allotted 20 overs. Ajinkya Rahane, leading KKR for the first time, was the standout performer with a swift 56 runs off just 31 balls, featuring four sixes and six fours. Rahane’s innings was crucial in setting a formidable target for RCB. Supporting him was Sunil Narine, who contributed a solid 44 runs, hitting three sixes and five fours.
On the bowling front, RCB’s bowlers made significant impacts. Yash Dayal managed to dismiss Angkrish Raghuvanshi, thanks to a catch by Jitesh Sharma. The standout bowler for RCB was Krunal Pandya, who clinched three wickets including the crucial dismissals of Venkatesh Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane, and Rinku Singh. Josh Hazlewood also played a key role in breaking KKR’s momentum by taking an early wicket, dismissing Quinton de Kock.
In a strategic move, RCB substituted Suyash Sharma with Devdutt Padikkal as an impact player. The match featured new regulations, including the lifting of the ban on saliva and new rules regarding dew conditions, which added a fresh dynamic to the game.
As the opener for the IPL 2025 season, the match was notable not only for its performances but also for the new leadership on both teams, with Ajinkya Rahane and Rajat Patidar both stepping into captaincy roles for the first time. This match also held significance in the IPL community with Virat Kohli nearing his milestone of 1000 runs against KKR, even though he did not reach it in this game.
Overall, the clash at Eden Gardens set an exhilarating tone for the season with KKR defending their IPL title under new leadership. Fans can look forward to more thrilling matches in the weeks to come as the IPL 2025 season unfolds.
