Key Points
KKR faces RCB in opening match, echoing 2008's historic McCullum innings
His team, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), will lock horns with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the first match of the IPL 2025 at the Eden Gardens on Saturday. Their clash reminded many of 2008's inaugural game, where Brendon McCullum hit record 158 runs against RCB while representing KKR.
Shah Rukh looked uber cool in a white T-shirt paired with denims. Of course, he never disappoints his fans. He waved at them at the airport and blew kisses.
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Both squads have experienced a change in leadership, with Ajinkya Rahane assuming command of KKR and Rajat Patidar at the helm of RCB. RCB is eager to end its string of defeats against KKR, as it has been unsuccessful in its last four meetings with them.
The spin bowling attacks of both teams will be in focus. While on one side is KKR's in-form duo of Varun Chakravarthy and Sunil Narine, backed by an experienced Moeen Ali and a young Anukul Roy, the RCB attack relies on the experience of Krunal, who has delivered fine performances in domestic cricket. Backing him will be all-rounders Swapnil Singh, Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell and a young spinner Suyash, who had his first taste of IPL with KKR back in 2023. Also, it would be a battle of batters as RCB's explosive line-up of Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Liam Livingtone and Jitesh Sharma will meet KKR's line-up of Quinton de Kock, Rinku Singh, skipper Ajinkya Rahane and Venkatesh Iyer.
KKR squad: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Venkatesh Iyer (vc), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakaravarthy, Harshit Rana, Ramandeep Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Quinton de Kock (wk), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Mayank Markande, Anrich Nortje, Vaibhav Arora, Manish Pandey, Luvnith Sisodia (wk), Anukul Roy, Rovman Powell, Moeen Ali, Chetan Sakariya, Spencer Johnson.
RCB squad: Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar (c), Swastik Chikara, Devdutt Padikkal, Jitesh Sharma, Philip Salt, Manoj Bhandage, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Liam Livingstone, Romario Shepherd, Jacob Bethell, Swapnil Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Nuwan Thushara, Lungi Ngidi, Yash Dayal, Rasikh Dar Salam, Suyash Sharma, Mohit Rathee, Abhinandan Singh.
