The second phase of IPL 2025 is set to begin this Saturday, with the 58th match of the tournament featuring Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) taking on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). All eyes will be on Virat Kohli, who recently announced his retirement from Test cricket.
A 10-Day Unexpected Break in the League
After an unexpected 10-day break due to military tensions between India and Pakistan, both RCB and KKR will be aiming to push hard for a place in the playoffs. RCB currently sits second on the points table with 16 points from 11 matches, and a win against KKR would almost guarantee their playoff spot. KKR, on the other hand, is sixth with 11 points from 12 matches. A single loss could shatter the defending champions’ hopes of making it to the knockout stage.
Both Teams in Good Form
Before the break, both teams were in strong form. RCB had won four matches in a row, while KKR came into this clash with back-to-back victories. It will be interesting to see which side maintains its momentum after the break. On paper, RCB appears to have the edge over KKR.
Captain Rajat Patidar Recovering from Injury
RCB skipper Rajat Patidar, who suffered a finger injury against Chennai Super Kings, batted comfortably during the practice session and is likely to play. Most of the team’s overseas players, who had flown back home due to the conflict, have returned. Players like Phil Salt, Lungi Ngidi, Tim David, Liam Livingstone, and Romario Shepherd are available for selection.
Mayank Agarwal Aims to Make an Impact
The absence of Devdutt Padikkal and pacer Josh Hazlewood due to injuries could be a concern. RCB will hope Mayank Agarwal steps up in Padikkal’s absence. Hazlewood is nursing a shoulder injury, and the franchise hasn’t yet confirmed his availability.
Spotlight on Virat Kohli
The spotlight will be on Virat Kohli. The stadium is expected to echo with chants of his name. Fans may even wear white jerseys in the stands to honour Kohli for his dedication to Test cricket. Following his sudden retirement from the longest format, Kohli will be eager to deliver some impactful performances with the bat.
KKR’s Batting a Major Weakness
KKR’s biggest concern this season has been their inconsistent batting. Apart from skipper Ajinkya Rahane and youngster Angkrish Raghuvanshi, no one has shown consistency. With the remaining games being do-or-die for KKR, they will expect big performances from Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, and Rinku Singh. The absence of experienced English all-rounder Moeen Ali due to viral illness will hurt the team. Despite their bowlers—Varun Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine, Vaibhav Arora, and Harshit Rana—being expensive at times, they’ve managed to maintain pressure when needed.
Also Read- Players Availability & Non Availability for Remainder of IPL 2025
Probable Playing XIs:
RCB: Jacob Bethell/Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Swastik Chikara/Mayank Agarwal, Rajat Patidar (c) (subject to fitness), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Lungi Ngidi, Yash Dayal.
Impact Player: Suyash Sharma
KKR: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Manish Pandey, Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Anukul Roy, Ramandeep Singh, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy.
Impact Player: Harshit Rana