Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will take on Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the iconic Eden Gardens in Match 21 of the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 on Tuesday, April 8.
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Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants: Preview
The clash between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) brings more than just a regular IPL fixture—it revives a budding rivalry rooted in a cross-sport connection. With LSG’s owners also holding stakes in football giants Mohun Bagan, the battle extends beyond the boundary ropes, igniting tensions between loyal fanbases. Last year saw friction over territorial claims at Eden Gardens, and there’s little reason to expect a cooler atmosphere this time around.
As concerns linger over dwindling crowd numbers at one of India’s most storied stadiums, Tuesday’s fixture offers a timely litmus test for this rivalry’s pull. But beyond the battle in the stands lies a more pressing question: which of these two stuttering sides will finally hit their stride and edge closer to the top of the table?
Despite their patchy campaigns so far, both KKR and LSG have a chance to break into the top four with a win. To do so, however, they’ll need key players to step up—especially with the bat.
KKR, too, appear to be finding their rhythm, especially after a commanding performance against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh showed excellent adaptability on a slow, gripping surface—conditions that could become a staple at Eden Gardens this season. Ajinkya Rahane and the promising Angkrish Raghuvanshi have brought some consistency to the middle order, but the team will be hoping for stronger starts from their openers and more time in the middle for the explosive Andre Russell.
Andre Russell has faced just 16 deliveries this season, scoring only 10 runs—a surprising stat for a player of his explosive caliber. With KKR boasting a batting-heavy line-up, Russell has been slotted lower down the order, often expected to start swinging from the moment he arrives at the crease. But is that really the best use of one of their most fearsome hitters?
Despite limited time with the bat, Russell remains a match-winner—his numbers speak for themselves. Take his record against Shardul Thakur, for instance: 54 runs off just 19 balls across five innings at a jaw-dropping strike-rate of 284. With the ball, he’s shown he’s still a valuable asset, but his batting impact has been minimal purely due to lack of opportunities.
KKR’s issues at the top of the order have been a persistent concern this season. They currently have the second-worst average (15) and the second-lowest run rate (6.31) for the opening partnership in IPL 2025—only Chennai Super Kings (CSK) fare worse on both fronts. This lack of momentum at the top is putting additional pressure on the middle order, often forcing batters like Venkatesh Iyer and Rinku Singh to rebuild rather than launch.
Compounding KKR’s challenge is their underwhelming performance with the ball in the powerplay. They have picked up just five wickets in the first six overs across matches—joint second-lowest among all teams. In stark contrast, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have been exceptional with the new ball, leading the charts for most powerplay wickets this season.
Beyond the cricketing narrative, this fixture holds a special cultural flavour for the football-loving city of Kolkata. In recent seasons, a growing number of Mohun Bagan supporters—loyal to a club owned by the same group that backs LSG—have temporarily shifted their support for the Lucknow-based franchise on matchday. This crossover of fandom adds an intriguing layer to what is fast becoming a unique inter-sport rivalry.
Only Rishabh Pant and Ravi Bishnoi are yet to find their rhythm, but overall, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are gradually piecing together a winning combination in IPL 2025. Mitchell Marsh has already scored three half-centuries in four matches, while Nicholas Pooran leads the tournament’s run charts. When Pooran stumbled against Mumbai Indians (MI) last Friday, Aiden Markram, Ayush Badoni, and David Miller stepped up to deliver. The Indian pace attack has been solid, with Digvesh Rathi emerging as a strong contender for the tournament’s emerging player award.
LSG are at a crucial stage, poised to take flight, but their success against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) may hinge on how they counter spin—especially in the sweltering afternoon heat of Eden Gardens. Since IPL 2024, Markram has been dismissed by spin in five of his 12 innings, Marsh’s strike-rate drops significantly from 194 to 139 against spin, and Pant averages just 15.4 against leg-spinners.
Pooran remains the standout. He’s crossed the 200-run mark this season and boasts the best strike-rate (209) against spin since IPL 2024. However, even he has found Sunil Narine a tough puzzle to crack. Pooran has managed just 25 runs off 33 deliveries against Narine in the IPL, highlighting his struggles against the seasoned spinner. Still, if Pooran and Miller can go after KKR’s spinners, it could prove to be the turning point of the match.
For LSG, the batting woes are more pronounced. Skipper Rishabh Pant, who was a cornerstone of their success last season with 446 runs at an average of 40.55 and a strike-rate of 155.40, has looked a shadow of himself. In three outings this season, he has scraped together just 19 runs at a sluggish strike-rate of 59.37. And with a tacky Eden surface likely to make stroke play even more challenging, his path back to form won’t be straightforward.
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants: Head-to-head
LSG holds a narrow 3-2 lead over KKR overall, but at Eden Gardens, the head-to-head stands evenly poised at 1-1.
- Matches Played: 5
- Won by Kolkata Knight Riders: 2
- Won by Lucknow Super Giants: 3
- Tied: 0
- No Result: 0
- First-ever Fixture: May 7, 2022
- Most-recent Fixture: May 5, 2024
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants: Pitch Report and Weather Conditions
This match will be played on a fresh wicket, albeit one with minimal green cover. Shahbaz Ahmed, the local Bengal all-rounder now featuring for LSG, anticipates conditions favourable for slower bowlers. While significant turn might be uncertain, he does expect the surface to grip and slow down.
Previously, the pitch offered a tacky feel with visible bald spots lacking grass—similar conditions are likely for this fixture as well. Dew is unlikely to play a part in the second innings, though the 33-degree Celsius temperature at start time could influence the toss outcome.
Captains have chosen to bat first on just two occasions this season—and both instances came in day matches.
Since IPL 2023, eight out of 17 games at Eden Gardens have gone in favour of the team batting first. The venue has seen an average first-innings total of 191, with 176 being the lowest successful defense in full-length contests.
Interestingly, six of the last seven afternoon encounters at Eden Gardens have been won by teams chasing.
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants: Team News and Predicted XI
Kolkata Knight Riders – Team News
Quinton de Kock hammered an unbeaten 97 against Rajasthan Royals but has failed to reach double digits in his other three outings. With that inconsistency, KKR might weigh the option of bringing in Rahmanullah Gurbaz as a potential replacement. Moeen Ali, despite not bowling in the match against SRH, could still keep his place in the XI ahead of Spencer Johnson depending on how the surface plays.
Anrich Nortje, previously described as being “close to full fitness,” was seen bowling at full intensity in the lead-up to the last fixture. However, there’s still no confirmation on whether he’ll be available for selection against LSG.
On the bowling front, Sunil Narine could once again play a crucial role when Nicholas Pooran is at the crease. In T20s, the West Indian spinner has restricted Pooran to just 171 runs off 150 deliveries—including a rare maiden Super Over—making him one of the few bowlers to consistently challenge the dangerous left-hander.
Kolkata Knight Riders – Predicted XI
- Quinton de Kock (wk)
- Sunil Narine
- Ajinkya Rahane
- Angkrish Raghuvanshi
- Venkatesh Iyer
- Rinku Singh
- Andre Russell
- Ramandeep Singh
- Moeen Ali
- Harshit Rana
- Vaibhav Arora
- Varun Chakravarthy
Lucknow Super Giants – Team News
Mayank Yadav remains unavailable for this match as he continues his recovery and is currently bowling at “90-95% fitness” at the Centre for Excellence. To bolster their spin options, LSG could consider deploying Aiden Markram more extensively as a third-spinner. Additionally, left-arm options like M Siddharth and the all-rounder Shahbaz Ahmed might come into play.
With Kolkata Knight Riders featuring four left-handers in their top six, LSG may be inclined to rely more heavily on Markram’s off-spin to exploit those match-ups.
Lucknow Super Giants – Predicted XI
- Aiden Markram
- Mitchell Marsh
- Nicholas Pooran
- Rishabh Pant (wk)
- Ayush Badoni
- David Miller
- Abdul Samad/Shahbaz Ahmed
- Shardul Thakur
- Avesh Khan
- Akash Deep
- Digvesh Rathi
- Ravi Bishnoi
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants: Players To Watch Out For
Vaibhav Arora (Kolkata Knight Riders)
Vaibhav Arora was hailed as KKR’s powerplay specialist by Venkatesh Iyer following their recent victory. His numbers against left-handers back that up—they average just 9.60 against him. However, his record against right-handers tells a different story.
With an average nearing 38 and a strike rate of 152.63, right-handers, like the ones he’s likely to face on Tuesday, have had much more success. Whether Arora can reverse that trend will be a key subplot in KKR’s bowling strategy.
Ravi Bishnoi (Lucknow Super Giants)
Ravi Bishnoi’s form has taken a hit since IPL 2024, and things have only gone downhill this season. With just three wickets in four matches and the worst economy rate among all spinners in IPL 2025, he’s under increasing pressure.
Digvesh Rathi has been the standout in comparison, and despite being one of LSG’s three pre-auction retentions, Bishnoi’s spot in the XII could be at risk if he doesn’t bounce back soon. That said, Tuesday’s surface might offer conditions more favourable to his style.
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants: Prediction
Scenario 1
- Toss: Kolkata Knight Riders win the toss and bowl
- Powerplay Score: 60-70
- Lucknow Super Giants Total: 200-210
- Match Result: Kolkata Knight Riders win the match
Scenario 2
- Toss: Lucknow Super Giants win the toss and bowl
- Powerplay Score: 55-65
- Kolkata Knight Riders Total: 190-200
- Match Result: Lucknow Super Giants win the match
When and Where To Watch Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants LIVE? Broadcast and Streaming Details
The Indian Premier League 2025 clash between Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants is set to begin at 3:30 PM IST on Tuesday, April 8, 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.
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FAQs
Why isn’t Andre Russell getting to bat much in IPL 2025?
He’s been slotted low in KKR’s order, facing just 16 balls this season.
What is the KKR vs LSG head-to-head record?
LSG lead 3-2 in five IPL matches played so far.
How does Nicholas Pooran fare against Sunil Narine?
Pooran has scored just 171 off 150 balls vs Narine in T20s.
Who is missing or out of form for KKR vs LSG?
Mayank Yadav is out; Pant and Bishnoi are struggling.
What are the Eden Gardens pitch conditions for KKR vs LSG?
Dry surface, slow turn expected; dew unlikely to impact play.
