KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane wanted a spin-friendly pitch after his team’s heavy loss against RCB in their IPL 2025 opening match. However, Eden Gardens pitch curator Sujan Mukherjee refused to make any changes, standing firm on his decision.

“As long as I’m here, the Eden Gardens pitch will not change,” Mukherjee said, shutting down Rahane’s request. Mukherjee, who has been in charge of the Eden Gardens pitch since 2015 when he was appointed by then CAB president Sourav Ganguly, made it clear that IPL teams have no control over pitch conditions. “According to IPL rules, franchises cannot decide how the pitch should be. The conditions have always been like this, and they will remain the same,” he stated.

"As per the IPL rules and regulations, franchises have no say over the pitch.”

- Sujan Mukherjee retorted, addressing Rahane's request to provide a spin-conducive pitch at Eden Gardens.

(RevSportzGlobal) pic.twitter.com/Jundw77JtW

— KKR Vibe (@KnightsVibe) March 25, 2025

Mukherjee Questions KKR Spinners’ Performance

KKR struggled in their opening game as RCB chased down 174 with ease. After the match, Rahane pointed out that KKR’s strength lies in their spinners, Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy, and that a spin-friendly pitch would have helped them.

“Both our spinners have the quality to bowl on any surface, and they are confident,” Rahane said. But Mukherjee didn’t agree. He argued that the pitch already offered enough help for spinners and questioned KKR’s bowling performance. “RCB’s spinners took four wickets. What did KKR’s spinners do?” Mukherjee asked. “Krunal Pandya got three wickets, and Suyash Sharma managed to turn the ball past Andre Russell.”

ALSO READ: SRH vs LSG : Weather and Pitch report

Tough Start for KKR in IPL 2025

It has been a difficult start to IPL 2025 for the defending champions, who not only suffered a big defeat but are also now at odds with their home ground’s curator.Mukherjee, who has overseen pitch preparations at Eden Gardens for nearly a decade, remains firm in his approach and has no plans to change the conditions for KKR. Rahane and his team will now shift their focus to their next match against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati on Wednesday.

The Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders (RR vs KKR) match has been scheduled for the sixth game of the IPL 2025, which Barsapara Cricket Stadium (Guwahati) will host on Wednesday evening (March 26). 

It will be the second match for both the defending champions, Kolkata Knight Riders, and the inaugural champions, Rajasthan Royals. The three-time IPL champions KKR suffered a seven-wicket defeat against the three-time IPL runners-up Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the first game of the IPL 2025. Apart from the first half of the first innings, KKR had no good moments in their IPL 2025 opener, as they lost by seven wickets with 22 balls remaining.

On the other hand, the Rajasthan Royals had a hard outing against the dangerous batting team SunRisers Hyderabad, as the SRH recorded the second-highest IPL total in the second game of the IPL 2025. Although the Royals fought hard by scoring their record total, they still lost the game by 44 runs.  

This is a desperate starting time for both teams, as an early win matters in an IPL season. Moreover, both teams suffered big defeats in their respective first games of the tournament. Without securing early wins, the struggling team will face huge pressure from the early period, which can affect the team throughout the season. 

See Also: IPL 2025: RR vs KKR – Weather & Pitch report

IPL 2025, Match 6: RR vs KKR - Detailed Match Preview

Match Type: League

Match No: 6

Match: Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders (RR vs KKR)

Venue:  Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati

Match Date (Day): March 26, 2025 (Wednesday)

Official Toss Time: 19:00 local time

Official Match Start Time: 19:30 local time

IPL 2025, Match 6: RR vs KKR - Venue Stats

Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati hosted four IPL matches, twice in 2023 and twice in 2024, including one no result. While both 2023 matches experienced successful defending of 190+ totals, the only completed 2024 match experienced a comfortable 145-run chase. 

• It hasn’t experienced any 200 or more runs total in six IPL innings. The highest total at this venue is 199/4 by Rajasthan Royals against Delhi Capitals in 2023. 

IPL 2025, Match 6: RR vs KKR - Head-to-Head

Rajasthan Royals will take on  Kolkata Knight Riders in the sixth match of IPL 2025 at Barsapara Stadium Guwahati in Assam. KKR won the title last season, while  RR ended in third in the league.

Impact Players: Rajasthan Royals (RR)

Sanju Samson: the team's captain, is injured and will miss the first three matches. When he returns, he will play only as a batter. In his absence, Riyan Parag will take over as captain. Last season, Samson scored 531 runs in 15 matches. The previous match against SRH was a nightmare game SRH scored 286, and in that game, Sanju Samson stepped up and played a crucial knock 66 off 37 balls.

Shubham Dubey: A left-handed batter who can add firepower in the final overs or step in if SRH loses early wickets. In the second match against SRH in IPL 2025, He played a mass innings with 34 runs in 11 balls.

 
Tushar Deshpande: He Had a good season with CSK last year and can be a useful bowling option in the second innings if the pitch helps pacers. He took 17 wickets in 13 matches. In the second match against SRH in IPL 2025, he bowled 4 overs and took 3 wickets and an economy of 11.00.

 
Yudhvir Singh Charak: A fast bowler who can consistently hit speeds over 145 kph. He can be a good impact player in the second innings if SRH bats first.

ALSO READ: Thaman to perform live at Uppal Stadium before Hyderabad vs Lucknow match

Impact Players: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

Angkrish Raghuvanshi: A promising youngster showing an impact when batting second. He played this role the most for KKR's last IPL season, scoring 163 runs in 10 matches. In the first match against RCB in IPL 2025 in a crucial situation he played very calmly and scored valuable 30 runs in 22 balls, unfortunately, the team lost that match.

Manish Pandey: A dependable batter who can come in as an impact player if KKR loses early wickets while batting first.

Mayank Markande: A leg-spinner who can be used as an impact player in the second innings if the team needs a spin.

Vaibhav Arora: A pacer who swings the ball and can be brought in as an impact in the second innings if the pitch helps fast bowlers. In the first match against RCB, he bowled crucial powerplay overs but the ball didn't swing in that pitch. In that match, he bowled three overs and took one wicket an economy of 14.00

Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders (MI vs KKR) match has been scheduled for the twelfth game of the IPL 2025. Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai will host this match as the home venue for Mumbai Indians. This match will be played on March 31 evening.

Both Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders will continue their IPL 2025 journey with this fixture. In the IPL 2024 season, Mumbai Indians finished in last place, and Kolkata Knight Riders finished in First Place.

ALSO SEE: Krunal Pandya’s birthday celebrated in RCB camp amid IPL 2025

Match Details:

Match No: 12

Match: Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders (MI vs KKR)

Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Date: March 31, 2025

Time: 7:30 PM IST

Squad Update

Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya (c), Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit Sharma, Tilak Verma, Trent Boult, Naman Dhir, Robin Minz, Karn Sharma, Ryan Rickelton, Deepak Chahar, Will Jacks, Ashwani Kumar, Mitchell Santner, Reece Topley, Shrijith Krishnan, Raj Angad Bawa, Venkat Satyanarayana Raju, Bevon Jacobs, Arjun Tendulkar, Vignesh Puthhur, Suryakumar Yadav.

Kolkata Knight Riders: Ajinkya Rahane (c), Rinku Singh, Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, 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, Umran Malik.

How to buy MI vs KKR tickets

MI home match tickets can be booked on the Book My Show. Notably, the sales for the fixture are already live on sale.

1. Go to one of the above official ticketing websites.

2. Go to the ticket booking page and choose "MI vs KKR– Match 12" and select Mumbai as location.

3. Select your desired seating category.

4. Make the payment through available payment options.

5. Once the payment is successful, you will get a confirmation email or SMS with your e-ticket.

 Ticket Prices (Estimated):

General Section – Gavaskar Stand BLK G-L, L1 – ₹990

Premium Seat – Garware Stand A-D, L3 – ₹4,350

VIP & Executive Box – Premium Hospitality Box (Sachin Tendulkar Stand N-P, L2) – ₹9,200

Corporate Box – ₹3,00,000 to ₹5,00,000 per match

ALSO SEE: Krunal Pandya’s birthday celebrated in RCB camp amid IPL 2025

RCB started their IPL 2025 season with a solid win against defending champions KKR at Eden Gardens. Chasing 175, Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 59 and Phil Salt’s quickfire 56 helped them reach the target comfortably in just 16.2 overs. Twitter went crazy after RCB won their first match of IPL 2025. Fans loved Virat Kohli and Salt’s aggressive batting, and memes filled social media (Twitter) in celebration.

1st win 🤞🥹
Rajat Captaincy 🔥
Kohli-Salt Mass Rampage 🥵
Livingstone last shots🕺
Bowlers Performance 👌👌
This is RCBBBBBBB🥹❤️ pic.twitter.com/elZMwKwy2w

— Nandu (@jaisantoshhhhh) March 22, 2025

Congratulations RCB for winning IPL 2025♥️♥️#RCBvKKR #IPL2025 pic.twitter.com/iL4YSNb5xe

— raptorrrrr (@raptorrrr_120) March 22, 2025

ALSO READ: Kohli's Explosive innings of fifty runs set the ground for RCB in IPL 2025 opener

RCB sent shivers down the line to all the other teams of IPL. They are hungry for the trophy and played like Hungry cheetahs 🔥 Great start to the tournament. #IPL2025 pic.twitter.com/9bDODdXtcQ

— Das PSPK 🦅 (@ImDas21) March 22, 2025

RCB registered thier 1st Win🔥🔥😍😍🥳🎉🎉#KingKohli #KKRvRCB #IPL2025 pic.twitter.com/Ln5Suwa0yB

— Chèrrybòyᵀᵒˣᶦᶜ🃏 (@Cherryboy_1711) March 22, 2025

Gelichesam roiiii 🔥
RCB wonuuuu

It's time to party noww🥳 pic.twitter.com/tMb982P90Q

— हafsa🐰ᴰᑫ (@hafsa09876) March 22, 2025

A dramatic moment took place during the IPL 2025 opener between KKR and RCB at Eden Gardens when Sunil Narine had a lucky escape from what looked like a hit-wicket dismissal. Though he was eventually out for 44 off 26 balls, the incident left RCB players frustrated and questioning the decision.

It happened in the 7th over, bowled by Rasikh Salam. Narine tried to duck under a sharp short ball, but in the process, his bat accidentally hit the stumps, and the bails lit up. However, the umpires ruled him not out and signaled a wide, as the ball was already in wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma’s gloves, and Narine had completed his shot.

Why Was Sunil Narine Not Given Out Hit Wicket?

In cricket, a batter is given out hit wicket if they break the stumps while playing a shot, taking off for a run, or trying to protect their wicket with a second hit. But if the stumps are broken after the shot is finished and the ball is no longer in play, the batter is not out. In Sunil Narine’s case, his bat hit the stumps only after the ball was safely in the wicketkeeper’s gloves. Since the delivery was already over, the umpires said that not out as per Law 35.2.

Narine was NOT OUT anyway.

As per Law 35.1.1 of MCC, "The striker is out Hit wicket if, after the bowler has entered the delivery stride and while the ball is in play."

The ball wasn't in play here, as the Umpire had already declared a wide.

So, Narine was NOT OUT. pic.twitter.com/5rxVNEY0cr

— Hardik Lashkari (@HardikLashkari1) March 22, 2025

ALSO READ: Rahane Live Up To The Expectations Regarding Captaincy Pressure
As for the match, RCB’s new captain Rajat Patidar won the toss and chose to bowl first. They got off to a great start with Josh Hazlewood dismissing Quinton de Kock for just 4 runs in the first over. But KKR, the defending champions, bounced back well. Captain Ajinkya Rahane smashed a quick 50 off just 25 balls, while Narine played an entertaining knock of 44 off 26.

Eden Gardens in Kolkata is ready for the first game of the IPL 2025 as the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders are hosting Royal Challengers Bengaluru (KKR vs RCB) on Saturday evening (March 22). Before the IPL 2025 opener, let's check some major things for the Dream11 selections for the KKR vs RCB match.

IPL 2025, Match 1: KKR vs RCB Predicted Playing XI

Kolkata Knight Riders Predicted Playing XI: Sunil Narine, Quinton de Kock (wk), Ajinkya Rahane (Captain), Rinku Singh, Venkatesh Iyer, Ramandeep Singh, Andre Russell, Harshit Rana, Spencer Johnson, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Predicted Playing XI: Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar (Captain), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Lungi Ngidi, Yash Dayal, Suyash Sharma

See Also: IPL:-Kolkata Police Respond to Concerns About IPL Match Rescheduling

Things to remember in Dream 11 team selection for KKR vs RCB match 1 IPL 2025

As there is a high chance for rain interruptions during the IPL 2025 opener between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, we should have put higher Dream11 selection rates on the fiery batters and in-form bowlers. Also, we should give more importance to the all-rounders.

Key Dream11 selections for the IPL 2025 Match 1: KKR vs RCB

Kolkata Knight Riders: Favourite choices for captain and vice-captain

Sunil Narine: Due to his aggressive batting in the powerplay and experienced quality bowling in the venue, the KKR legend Sunil Narine is one of the strong names for this fixture.

Andre Russell: KKR cricketer Andre Russell is another all-rounder who becomes fit in any shorter version of the cricket match. His explosive batting and effective pace bowling can always prove to be a game changer.

Varun Chakravarthy: In-form Indian spinner Varun Chakravarthy is now an important name. Although the rain-affected shorter format can affect his importance status, we can't ignore him now. 

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Favourite choices for captain and vice-captain

Virat Kohli: Former Indian and RCB captain Virat Kohli is always a busy batter, as the right-handed batter can still be effective in any shorter T20 match. The fans will love to see the dominance of the leading run-scorer in IPL history.

Phil Salt: Although the English cricketer Phil Salt is currently not in good form, he is always a dangerous batter in any shorter cricket format. 

Liam Livingstone: English cricketer Liam Livingstone is always a dangerous batter in a shorter format who can change the game scenario very quickly. Even his cameo can influence his batting side. Also, Livingstone is useful as a part-time spinner as he can take key wickets. 

Ipl 2025 season will begun within few hours of time where three time finalists RCB are going to challenge the three time ipl champions Kkr. Its going to be pretty exciting match between these two teams stating their history of previous ipl matches. In another way its also special it was the opening match of inaugral Ipl season 1 where Brendon Mcullum 158 runs innings just shattered RCB to be in shell shock. 

Where they never been able to recover from that even at the chase too it was seemed that RCB haven't forgot the beating and the total of 223 to chase the target. RCB failed miserably and were all out for 82 giving the victory margin of 140 runs and which is still on the records . Though RCB had their few moments but largely its with KKR. 

Read More : IPL New Rules For The Season Of 2025

KKR Best Moments On RCB

There are several moments where KKR have been in dominating position against RCB one such match was this in 2017 in Eden Gardens where RCB choose to bowl first and KKR scumbled in between though their opening batter Sunil Narine gave an good start 34 off 17 balls but what followed for kkr was wickets falling at regular intervals and at last the were bundled out for 131 runs. It would have beem really an easy chase for RCB if have played slowly too. 

RCB opted out to chase where it looked the star studded team would complete the match within 15 overs. But had just happened was even more dramatic where Gayle and Kohli were back in back to hut within few minutes but it was not the case which followed next within reaching 20 runs RCB half of the side were demolished by Kkr bowlers after that what followed was even astonishing where RCB were bowled out for 49 runs which was the lowest ever total by them. 

KKR Best playing Xi For The Game

Kolkata had the great auction this year retaining their core team. But they had to let go their captain Shreyas Iyer due to credibility issues where he has been bought by Punjab Kings for 26 crores. Where else KKR will be led by Ajinkya Rahane who was bought at 1 crore. 

Kolkata best playing xi - 

Sunil Narine

Quinton De Cock

Venkatesh Iyer

Angkrish Raghuvanshi

Ajinkya Rahane

Rinku Singh

Andre Russel

Ramandeep Singh

Harshit Rana

Varun Chakravarthy

 Anrich Nortje

Impact Player : Mayank Markande

This would be an apt playing eleven for Kolkata where they posses the batting fire power and bowling strength to face RCB. 

Kolkata Knight Riders will take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the first match of IPL 2025 at Eden Gardens. KKR won the title last season, while RCB finished fourth and lost in the Eliminator.

Impact Players: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

Manish Pandey: A dependable batter who can come in as an impact player if KKR loses early wickets while batting first.

Angkrish Raghuvanshi: A promising youngster showing an impact when batting second. He played this role the most for KKR's last IPL season, scoring 163 runs in 10 matches.

Mayank Markande: A leg-spinner who can be used as an impact player in the second innings if the team needs a spin.

Vaibhav Arora: A pacer who swings the ball and can be brought in as an impact in the second innings if the pitch helps fast bowlers.

ALSO READ: Spinners Needs To Be More Brave Quotes Harbhajan Singh

Impact Players: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)

Swapnil Singh: A left-arm spinner who did well last season, taking six wickets in seven games. He also can play with the bat in lower down the order.

Suyash Sharma: A leg-spinner who might come in if the pitch helps spinners. He has played at Eden Gardens before while representing KKR.

Mohit Rathee: A middle-order batter and leg-spinner. In his last two domestic T20 matches, he scored 54 runs and took one wicket.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have made a splash with the reveal of their retro black and gold jersey ahead of IPL 2025. The franchise has always been known for its vibrant branding and close ties to its fanbase, and now, in an effort to recapture the iconic black-and-gold look from their inaugural years of the IPL, it has made a bold choice.

The black and gold look is part of KKR’s franchise and city legacy that aims to evoke nostalgia for long-time fans. First donned for the organization’s early years in the league, the color scheme signifies the fearless, aggressive, and winning spirit of the Knights play. The 2025 IPL season renewal for all teams, post-mega auction. KKR's old-school roots signal to fans a straightforward phrase: new season, old-school dominance.

Wear the OG Knight swag — Black & Gold Jersey, KKR Retro kit 🖤💛 pic.twitter.com/mcrNbbZoC8

— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) March 20, 2025

Also Read: Chess Meets Cricket: D Gukesh and R Ashwin Share a Special Moment at Chepauk

In the unveil video, KKR player is commodified in his excitement over the new retro kit. With tens of thousands of views and thousands of interactions, the post has gone viral among KKR fans, with comments of excitement, about bringing the OG KKR swag.

The reintroduction of the retro jersey is not merely for aesthetics, but it may also act as a motivational factor for the teams. KKR has adapted their lineup in numerous ways and evolved in branding as well throughout the years. The black-and-gold is likely an attempt to rekindle the fun and fervor they experienced during their two IPL trophy runs in 2012 and 2014.

Where to Buy a KKR Retro Jersey?

For any fans who wish to own this nostalgic piece of KKR history, the KKR Official Store and other online merchandise sites should be rolling out products shortly. There should be a sizeable market for the jerseys and additional accessories because of the nostalgia and sentimental value related to the designs during their championships! 

Also Read: TB Awareness Cricket Match: Neta XI vs. Abhineta XI A Game for a Healthier India

While the Knights prepare for IPL 2025 to return on the field, the classic jersey could be a reminder of their triumphant past , or motivate and inspire everyone to an optimistic future! Will the retro look help return the golden days of KKR back onto the field?  Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: the OG Knight swag is back!