KKR vs RR Preview: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) aim to keep their playoff hopes alive as they host Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the iconic Eden Gardens on Sunday, May 3, in match No. 53 of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025).
Table of contents
- KKR vs RR – Preview
- KKR vs RR: Recent Form
- KKR vs RR: Head-to-Head
- KKR vs RR: Pitch Report and Weather Conditions
- Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals: Team News and Predicted XI
- KKR vs RR: Players To Watch Out For
- KKR vs RR: Prediction
- When and Where To Watch Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals LIVE? Broadcast and Streaming Details
- FAQs
KKR vs RR – Preview
KKR vs RR Preview: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) remain in the playoff race, but their margin for error has nearly disappeared. They can still reach 17 points, but that demands a flawless finish in their remaining four matches. Two of those fixtures will take place at Eden Gardens, where KKR have won only once in four completed games this season. Saturday afternoon’s clash will be their penultimate home outing.
Home hasn’t exactly been a fortress for KKR in IPL 2025. Internal disagreements with the curator, struggles to read pitch conditions, and inconsistent performances have all contributed to a patchy home record. While the reigning champions secured five wins in seven home games last season, this year they’ve already suffered three defeats and salvaged just one point from a rain-curtailed no-result against Punjab Kings.
Eden Gardens has offered an even contest between bat and ball in recent times. In the last 24 matches at the venue, teams defending and chasing targets have each registered 12 wins. However, in afternoon games, chasing sides have held the upper hand—winning six of the last eight fixtures played during the day.
Now, KKR’s tournament fate hinges on how they perform at home in the next two fixtures—both against already-eliminated teams, Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
KKR – Key Players and Performance
KKR vs RR Preview: To stay in contention for a top-four spot, KKR must achieve something they haven’t managed this season—back-to-back wins. Their previous match against Delhi Capitals (DC) wasn’t flawless, but it revealed promising signs. Rinku Singh and Andre Russell rediscovered their rhythm, Sunil Narine took out three top-quality batters, and the openers finally gave the team a solid platform. KKR must replicate those performances and extract more from Venkatesh Iyer to keep their playoff hopes alive. A defeat wouldn’t knock them out entirely, but it would leave their campaign hanging by a thread.
KKR received a timely boost as Sunil Narine rolled back the years to deliver a match-winning performance against Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. The side returns to Kolkata with renewed energy and a clearer mission.
Young middle-order batter Angkrish Raghuvanshi starts with intent, scoring at a dazzling strike rate of 170 in his first 10 balls. However, his momentum dips significantly as his innings progresses—his strike rate falls to just 106 after facing 21 balls or more.
KKR have also struggled through the middle overs. Their dot-ball percentage between overs 7 and 16 stands at a concerning 37.2%—the highest in the league.
RR – Key Players and Performance
KKR vs RR Preview: Facing them are Rajasthan Royals (RR), a team already out of playoff contention but still licking their wounds. Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal dazzled against Gujarat Titans, but the team followed that with a meek surrender to Mumbai Indians, suffering a 100-run loss.
With Sanju Samson still sidelined and Sandeep Sharma ruled out of the tournament, RR will struggle to lift themselves. Yet, with nothing to lose, they could pose a serious threat. As bowling coach Shane Bond noted ahead of the game, some players will look to seize their chances in the final fixtures—especially with the team management already evaluating options for IPL 2026 and beyond.
Rajasthan Royals have endured a stop-start campaign. Despite the emergence of 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who lit up the season with a dazzling century, RR have struggled with consistency. Their inability to close out tight games—particularly against Delhi and Lucknow—has plagued Rahul Dravid’s first season back in franchise coaching. With playoff hopes long gone, RR now aim to play for pride and possibly derail the campaigns of teams still in the hunt.
They’ve excelled in the PowerPlay, boasting the best run rate (10.75), highest boundary percentage (28.96), and most sixes (47) in the phase. Yashasvi Jaiswal has been at the forefront, smashing four fifties in his last six innings and leading the league with 18 sixes in the PowerPlay.
On the flip side, RR’s spinners have underperformed. They’ve recorded the second-worst average (36.7) and economy rate (9.4) in the competition—only Sunrisers Hyderabad have done worse.
Like KKR, RR also struggle in the middle overs. Their dot-ball percentage between overs 7 and 16 sits at 32.9%, just behind KKR.
Key Matchups and Strategy
KKR vs RR Preview: Both teams share a glaring weakness in the middle overs, with KKR recording the highest dot-ball percentage (37.2%) and RR close behind at 32.9%, making strike rotation a crucial tactical focus. Rajasthan Royals have been dominant in the PowerPlay, led by the explosive Yashasvi Jaiswal, whose aggressive starts have driven their league-best run rate and six-hitting numbers in the first six overs. Containing Jaiswal early will be vital for KKR’s bowlers.
Meanwhile, both teams have struggled with spin this season—RR’s spinners, in particular, have returned poor numbers with the second-worst average and economy in the tournament—making spin matchups a potential game-changer. KKR’s hopes may rest on the form of big-hitters like Rinku Singh and Andre Russell, who will aim to exploit RR’s vulnerable bowling at the death.
KKR vs RR: Recent Form
Kolkata Knight Riders: WLLWL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Rajasthan Royals: LWLLL
KKR vs RR: Head-to-Head
KKR lead RR 15-14 in their head-to-head IPL battles, with little separating the two teams over the years. Earlier this season, KKR dominated RR in Guwahati. Last year at Eden Gardens, Jos Buttler’s century powered RR to a thrilling one-wicket victory over KKR.
- Matches Played: 30
- Won by Kolkata Knight Riders: 15
- Won by Rajasthan Royals: 14 (includes 2 Super Over wins)
- Tied: 0
- No Result: 1
- First-ever Fixture: May 01, 2008
- Most-recent Fixture: March 26, 2025
KKR vs RR: Pitch Report and Weather Conditions
The pitch shows rough marks outside both the off and leg stumps, suggesting it could be a drier surface that favors spin slightly more. The weather has been hot in recent days, with short, stormy periods providing some relief each evening. There is still a high chance that rain could impact the game.
A cloudy afternoon is expected, but the likelihood of rain is quite low. The par score at Eden Gardens has typically been around 200, with the only afternoon match this season turning into a run-fest, where over 500 runs were scored in total. We can expect another solid batting surface that won’t offer much turn.
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals: Team News and Predicted XI
KKR – Team News
KKR has reported no new injuries since their last match against Delhi Capitals. With only two right-handers in RR’s top five, KKR may give Andre Russell more of a bowling role, potentially replacing Anukul Roy, who took 1 for 27 against DC, with Ramandeep Singh to strengthen the batting. Ajinkya Rahane had a bandaged right hand after his injury against DC, but Powell believes he will be available for the upcoming match.
KKR has two key players to disrupt the opposition at the top of the order. Quinton de Kock, who hasn’t played recently due to a slow start to the season, boasts strong numbers against Jofra Archer (128 runs off 60 balls). Meanwhile, Gurbaz has been aggressive against one of RR’s PowerPlay bowlers, Maheesh Theekshana, scoring 75 runs off 44 balls.
KKR – Predicted XI
- Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk)
- Sunil Narine
- Ajinkya Rahane (capt)
- Angkrish Raghuvanshi
- Venkatesh Iyer
- Rinku Singh
- Andre Russell
- Rovman Powell/Moeen Ali
- Ramandeep Singh/Anukul Roy
- Harshit Rana
- Varun Chakravarthy
- Vaibhav Arora
RR – Team News
Akash Madhwal got his first chance in RR’s last game due to Sandeep’s injury and is likely to keep his place. Left-arm spinner Kumar Kartikeya remains a strong option against KKR’s lineup, while Wanindu Hasaranga could return to challenge Andre Russell with his googlies. Sanju Samson is almost fully fit but may not be risked, as RR is already out of the playoff race. The Royals will also be without Sandeep Sharma, who has been ruled out for the season due to a finger injury.
Although Gurbaz has been successful against Maheesh Theekshana, the Sri Lankan spinner could still be a key weapon for RR in the PowerPlay in Kolkata. Theekshana has dismissed Sunil Narine twice in just eight deliveries across all T20s. Removing Narine early could significantly weaken KKR.
RR – Predicted XI
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Vaibhav Suryavanshi
- Nitish Rana
- Riyan Parag (capt)
- Dhruv Jurel (wk)
- Shimron Hetmyer
- Shubham Dubey
- Jofra Archer
- Maheesh Theekshana/Wanindu Hasaranga
- Fazalhaq Farooqi/Kwena Maphaka
- Akash Madhwal
- Yudhvir Singh/Kumar Kartikeya
KKR vs RR: Players To Watch Out For
Venkatesh Iyer (KKR)
Venkatesh Iyer has struggled with consistency this season. Despite having ample opportunities due to a faltering top order, he has been dismissed for single digits four times and has crossed 40 only once in seven innings. His average has dropped significantly from 46.3 last season to 20.3, while his strike rate has also fallen from 159 to 139.
Among players with at least 100 runs, only Rishabh Pant and Abdul Samad have lower averages. With the batters around him starting to put together useful scores, it is now crucial for KKR’s vice-captain to regain form, especially with the playoffs still within reach.
Dhruv Jurel (RR)
Rajasthan Royals have shown strong faith in Dhruv Jurel, but his role this season has been somewhat unclear. Known for his attacking and inventive approach against pace, he has struggled against spin, especially when batting at No. 4 or No. 5.
Jurel’s strike rate against spinners is just 110, compared to an impressive 179 against pace, with an average of 81.5. Given this disparity, it might be time for RR to reconsider his role and utilize him in a way that maximizes his strengths.
KKR vs RR: Prediction
Scenario 1
- Toss: Kolkata Knight Riders win the toss and bowl first
- Powerplay Score: 65-75
- Rajasthan Royals Total: 210-220
- Match Result: Kolkata Knight Riders win the match
Scenario 2
- Toss: Rajasthan Royals win the toss and bowl first
- Powerplay Score: 55-65
- Kolkata Knight Riders Total: 200-210
- Match Result: Kolkata Knight Riders win the match
When and Where To Watch Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals LIVE? Broadcast and Streaming Details
The Indian Premier League 2025 clash between Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals is set to begin at 3:30 PM IST on Sunday, May 4, at the Eden Gardens Stadium, Kolkata. The match will be broadcast live on the Star Sports network and will also be available for live streaming on JioHotstar for FREE.
Read More: Saved by the Game: How Cricket Became Andrew Flintoff’s Lifeline After Top Gear Tragedy
FAQs
KKR has struggled at Eden Gardens this season, with only one win in four games. They need a flawless finish to stay in the playoff race, with two crucial home fixtures left.
RR has been inconsistent in IPL 2025, with key players like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Suryavanshi showing promise, but the team has failed to close out tight games.
Key players for KKR include Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, and Rinku Singh. Venkatesh Iyer’s form remains a critical factor in their playoff hopes.
Dhruv Jurel has been exceptional against pace but struggles against spinners, striking at only 110 against spin. RR may need to adjust his batting position to capitalize on his strengths.
The Eden Gardens pitch has favored batting with a par score around 200. It has been consistent for run-scoring, with minimal turn and only occasional rain interruptions.
