The opening match of IPL 2025 witnessed Royal Challengers Bengaluru winning the toss and choosing to bowl first against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. With a packed stadium and high-voltage expectations, both teams unveiled their Playing XIs and Impact Players for the season opener.
Toss Update:
Rajat Patidar, captaining RCB for the season opener, opted to bowl first citing favourable pitch conditions and a desire to chase. KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane, on the other hand, expressed confidence in setting a competitive total and leading his balanced side with a mix of pace and spin.
Playing XI – Royal Challengers Bengaluru:
Virat Kohli, Philip Salt (w), Rajat Patidar (c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Rasikh Dar Salam, Suyash Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal
Playing XI – Kolkata Knight Riders:
Quinton de Kock (w), Venkatesh Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Spencer Johnson, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy
Impact Players:
- RCB: Devdutt Padikkal, Abhinandan Singh, Manoj Bhandage, Romario Shepherd, Swapnil Singh
- KKR: Anrich Nortje, Manish Pandey, Vaibhav Arora, Anukul Roy, Luvnith Sisodia
Both teams have gone with a 3-pacer and 2-spinner combination, highlighting a strategy built for balance and versatility. As RCB look to chase under lights, KKR will be eager to get their campaign off to a strong start by setting a competitive total at home.
