KKR Hosts RR in a Must-Win Clash at Eden Gardens
As the IPL 2025 season nears its climax, defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are in a do-or-die situation. Set to take on Rajasthan Royals (RR) at Eden Gardens on Sunday, KKR must secure a win to stay in contention for the playoffs. Meanwhile, RR has already been eliminated from the race but will look to play spoilsport.
Kolkata Knight Riders’ Predicted XI and Strategies
KKR is expected to make tactical changes depending on whether they bat or bowl first. With Ajinkya Rahane leading the side and experienced names like Sunil Narine and Andre Russell in the mix, they aim to bring balance to the XI.
Batting First XI:
- Sunil Narine
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk)
- Ajinkya Rahane (c)
- Venkatesh Iyer
- Angkrish Raghuvanshi
- Rinku Singh
- Andre Russell
- Rovman Powell
- Harshit Rana
- Vaibhav Arora
- Varun Chakaravarthy
Bowling First XI:
Chetan Sakariya is expected to replace Raghuvanshi, adding variety with his left-arm seam.
Impact Player Options:
Angkrish Raghuvanshi / Chetan Sakariya, Manish Pandey, Mayank Markande, Anukul Roy
Rajasthan Royals: Young Squad With Nothing to Lose
Rajasthan Royals may be out of playoff contention, but they bring an experimental lineup filled with emerging talent. Riyan Parag will captain the side, with Nitish Rana and Hetmyer offering middle-order experience.
Batting XI:
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Vaibhav Suryavanshi
- Riyan Parag (c)
- Nitish Rana
- Dhruv Jurel (wk)
- Shimron Hetmyer
- Shubham Dubey
- Wanindu Hasaranga
- Jofra Archer
- Maheesh Theekshana
- Akash Madhwal
Bowling XI:
Fazalhaq Farooqi is expected to come in for Dubey to bolster the bowling attack.
Impact Player Options:
Shubham Dubey, Kunal Singh Rathore, Tushar Deshpande, Kumar Kartikeya, Kwena Maphaka
Dream11 Fantasy Picks: Players to Watch
For those building their fantasy squads, several key players stand out:
Wicketkeeper:
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz
Batters:
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Ajinkya Rahane (C)
- Angkrish Raghuvanshi
- Vaibhav Suryavanshi
All-rounders:
- Sunil Narine
- Riyan Parag (VC)
- Andre Russell
Bowlers:
- Jofra Archer
- Varun Chakravarthy
- Harshit Rana
Fantasy Tip: A KKR-heavy lineup (7-4 split) is recommended due to their playoff urgency.
Full Squad List for Reference
Kolkata Knight Riders Squad:
Ajinkya Rahane (c), Rinku Singh, Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Venkatesh Iyer, Ramandeep Singh, Andre Russell, Anrich Nortje, Harshit Rana, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakaravarthy, Vaibhav Arora, Mayank Markande, Rovman Powell, Manish Pandey, Spencer Johnson, Luvnith Sisodia, Anukul Roy, Moeen Ali, Chetan Sakariya
Rajasthan Royals Squad:
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Riyan Parag (c), Nitish Rana, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Shubham Dubey, Shimron Hetmyer, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Tushar Deshpande, Kunal Singh Rathore, Akash Madhwal, Kumar Kartikeya, Kwena Maphaka, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Ashok Sharma, Vaibhav Suryavanshi
Match Outlook: Eden Gardens Awaits a Thriller
With the stakes sky-high for KKR and RR having nothing to lose, this encounter promises to be a high-octane battle. Expect fireworks from big hitters and strategic experiments as Kolkata aims to keep their playoff dream alive on home turf.(live score cricket ipl)