With four victories out of ten games, KKR is presently ranked sixth in the standings. They must win this game if they want to stay in the playoffs.
With three victories in their first 11 games, RR has already been eliminated from the competition.
Eden Gardens Showdown: KKR Eye Playoff Push, RR Aim to Play Spoilers
Venue Advantage: Eden Gardens – A Batter’s Dream 🎯
Eden Gardens promises fireworks as the flat pitch, short boundaries, and quick outfield heavily favor the batters. Expect a high-scoring contest where both sides will be keen to win the toss and bat first. As it’s a day game (3:30 PM IST), dew is unlikely to impact proceedings.
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Form Guide: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
Recent Performance
KKR enter this clash with confidence, having secured a 14-run win over Delhi Capitals, thanks to a match-winning knock by young Angkrish Raghuvanshi, which propelled them past the 200-run mark. With momentum on their side, KKR will look to deliver another all-round performance to solidify their playoff chances.
Predicted Playing XI
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk)
Sunil Narine
Ajinkya Rahane (c)
Angkrish Raghuvanshi
Venkatesh Iyer
Andre Russell
Rinku Singh
Rovman Powell
Anukul Roy
Harshit Rana
Varun Chakravarthy
Impact Sub: Vaibhav Arora
Team Outlook: Rajasthan Royals (RR)
Current Struggles
RR are reeling from a 100-run loss against Mumbai Indians, where both their batting and bowling units faltered. Although eliminated from playoff contention, the Royals have nothing to lose and everything to prove. They’ll be looking to spoil KKR’s party with a spirited performance.
Predicted Playing XI
Yashasvi Jaiswal
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
Nitish Rana
Riyan Parag (c)
Dhruv Jurel (wk)
Shimron Hetmyer
Jofra Archer
Maheesh Theekshana
Fazalhaq Farooqi
Shubham Dubey
Impact Sub: Kumar Kartikeya
Head-to-Head: A Fierce Rivalry
The rivalry between KKR and RR has remained neck-and-neck over the years.
KKR: 15 wins
RR: 14 wins (including Super Over matches)
1 match abandoned
KKR won by 8 wickets in their earlier meeting this season.
In Kolkata, KKR hold a strong home record: 6 wins vs 4 losses against RR.
Key Players to Watch 🔍
KKR
🌀 Varun Chakravarthy: 13 wickets at an economy of 7.15
🧢 Ajinkya Rahane: 297 runs at a strike rate of 149.24
RR
🔥 Yashasvi Jaiswal: 439 runs in 11 games, averaging 43.90
🎯 Maheesh Theekshana & Jofra Archer: 10 wickets each in IPL 2025