RCB eye five wins in a row as IPL resumes with home game against KKR
IPL returns after a brief hiatus and just like the way it started, it would be featuring the same opponents, RCB and KKR, this time in the former’s den. A win for RCB can almost guarantee their place in the play-offs as they are already within inches of qualification. On the contrary, it is a must-win game for Kolkata as a defeat for the defending champions will snuff out all chances of advancing to the following round.
RCB have been unbeaten in the last four games. Despite losing the first three home games of the season, they turned the tide around in perfect fashion and managed to secure two victories on the bounce in their den. A thrilling win against CSK in the last fixture will be a massive morale booster for the Men in Red and Gold.
KKR have been riding along jumpy borders, undergoing a vortex of emotions with two defeats, two wins and one no-result in the last five matches. They were humbled by CSK in a thrilling battle in their last encounter. The fact that they allowed the match to slip away from their grasp is what would be bothering them a lot more. Considering the firepower of both the teams and the presence of ample hard-hitters, one might expect this clash to be a full-blown exchange of hefty haymakers.
Venue Watch
The surface in Chinnaswamy this year has been drastically different from the others. It hasn’t been a bowler’s graveyard nor a batter’s paradise. The pitch has offered balance between the bat and the ball and only if one is smart enough to apply themselves according to the situations, they have had success on a slow sticky surface. The clash between RCB and CSK did have lots of runs being scored but the game also had a few intriguing twists and turns before individual brilliance set the tone.
Personal battles to watch out for:
Virat Kohli vs Sunil Narine
Virat Kohli has been riding high on imperious form and consistency in this year’s IPL. Still in the hunt for the Orange Cap and almost within touching distance of the mantle, Virat will be hopeful of going all guns blazing in terms of bagging the Orange Cap for now as the Knights await. Sunil Narine has always been a bane for the greater names of the sport and his earlier interactions with Virat on the field is what makes this a rollicking exchange.
Jacob Bethell vs Varun Chakravarthy
Starboy Bethell has proven to be a very handy name in the last game. It was his second match and he maintained the same intensity that he started his IPL career with against Delhi Capitals. The left-hander is tactically a very solid player and more importantly, a fearless attacker of the new ball. Varun Chakravarthy usually comes in after the first three or four overs hoping to slow the tempo down and thereby creating a scarcity of runs. The contrasting approaches of Bethell and Chakravarthy makes this a fine duel.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar vs Ajinkya Rahane
In the absence of Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar will have to take a crucial step. He will have to lead the bowling charge for RCB. With the new ball in his hand, Kumar can be an absolute menace. Considering his knowledge of the Chinnaswamy, he will be the one to watch out for. Ajinkya Rahane has seen a handful of ups and downs but his presence in the Kolkata side guarantees a big name to look out for, especially with the start that he got in this year’s IPL.
Match detail:
Match: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Kolkata Knight Riders
Venue: Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
Date: 17th May, 2025
Time: 7:30 PM
Head-to-head:
Matches played: 35
KKR: 20
RCB: 15
Squads:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru:
Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar (c), Swastik Chikara, Mayank Agarwal, Jitesh Sharma, Philip Salt, Manoj Bhandage, Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Liam Livingstone, Romario Shepherd, Jacob Bethell, Swapnil Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Nuwan Thushara, Lungi Ngidi, Yash Dayal, Rasikh Dar Salam, Suyash Sharma, Mohit Rathee, Abhinandan Singh.
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, Chetan Sakariya.
