IPL 2025: KKR vs RCB Predicted XI & Full Squad – Kolkata Knight Riders face Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the season opener at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, this Saturday.
IPL 2025: KKR vs RCB Predicted Playing XI & Full Squad
The 18th edition of the Indian Premier League begins today (Saturday) as defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders host Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. With Ajinkya Rahane steering KKR and an inexperienced Rajat Patidar captaining RCB, a high-octane rivalry is set to unfold.
Season Opener Records
Kolkata boasts an impressive record in IPL openers, winning six out of seven matches, whereas Bengaluru has managed just one win in their five season openers.
KKR secured their third title by defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2024 final, positioning them as the third-most successful franchise in the tournament—following Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians, each with five titles.
IPL 2025 Format Highlights
- Matches: 74 matches across 13 venues
- Double-Headers: 12 scheduled throughout the tournament
- Key Venues: The final and Qualifier 2 will be hosted in Kolkata, while Hyderabad will stage Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) – Predicted Playing XI
| No. | Player | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virat Kohli | Batsman | |
| 2 | Phil Salt | Opener | |
| 3 | Rajat Patidar | Captain | |
| 4 | Liam Livingstone | All-rounder | |
| 5 | Krunal Pandya | All-rounder | |
| 6 | Jitesh Sharma | Wicket-keeper | |
| 7 | Tim David | All-rounder | |
| 8 | Rasikh Dar / Manoj Bhandage | Bowler | Choice option |
| 9 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Bowler | |
| 10 | Josh Hazlewood | Bowler | |
| 11 | Yash Dayal | Bowler | |
| Impact Sub: Swapnil Singh / Suyash Sharma | Impact Sub |
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) – Predicted Playing XI
| No. | Player | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quinton de Kock | Wicket-keeper | |
| 2 | Sunil Narine | All-rounder | |
| 3 | Ajinkya Rahane | Captain | |
| 4 | Venkatesh Iyer | All-rounder | |
| 5 | Rinku Singh | Batsman | |
| 6 | Andre Russell | All-rounder | |
| 7 | Ramandeep Singh | All-rounder | |
| 8 | Harshit Rana | Bowler | |
| 9 | Vaibhav Arora | Bowler | |
| 10 | Spencer Johnson | Bat/Bowl | |
| 11 | Varun Chakaravarthy | Bowler | |
| Impact Sub: Angkrish Raghuvanshi / Luvnith Sisodia | Impact Sub |
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) – Full Squad
| No. | Player | Role (if known) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ajinkya Rahane | Captain |
| 2 | Rinku Singh | Batsman |
| 3 | Quinton de Kock | Wicket-keeper |
| 4 | Rahmanullah Gurbaz | Batsman / WK |
| 5 | Angkrish Raghuvanshi | All-rounder |
| 6 | Venkatesh Iyer | All-rounder |
| 7 | Ramandeep Singh | All-rounder |
| 8 | Andre Russell | All-rounder |
| 9 | Anrich Nortje | Bowler |
| 10 | Harshit Rana | Bowler |
| 11 | Sunil Narine | All-rounder |
| 12 | Varun Chakaravarthy | Bowler |
| 13 | Vaibhav Arora | Bowler |
| 14 | Mayank Markande | All-rounder/Batsman |
| 15 | Rovman Powell | All-rounder |
| 16 | Manish Pandey | Batsman |
| 17 | Spencer Johnson | Bat/Bowl |
| 18 | Luvnith Sisodia | All-rounder |
| 19 | Anukul Roy | Batsman |
| 20 | Moeen Ali | All-rounder |
| 21 | Chetan Sakariya | Bowler |
These tables provide a clear overview of both the predicted playing elevens and the complete squad for KKR.
Below is a table representing the Royal Challengers Bengaluru squad based on the provided list:
| No. | Player Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rajat Patidar | Captain (c) |
| 2 | Virat Kohli | |
| 3 | Yash Dayal | |
| 4 | Josh Hazlewood | |
| 5 | Phil Salt | |
| 6 | Jitesh Sharma | |
| 7 | Liam Livingstone | |
| 8 | Rasikh Dar | |
| 9 | Suyash Sharma | |
| 10 | Krunal Pandya | |
| 11 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | |
| 12 | Swapnil Singh | |
| 13 | Tim David | |
| 14 | Romario Shepherd | |
| 15 | Nuwan Thushara | |
| 16 | Manoj Bhandage | |
| 17 | Jacob Bethel | |
| 18 | Devdutt Padikkal | |
| 19 | Swastik Chhikara | |
| 20 | Lungi Ngidi | |
| 21 | Abhinandan Singh | |
| 22 | Mohit Rathee |
