Rajasthan Royals (RR) will face reigning champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in match No. 6 of the Indian Premier League 2025 (IPL) at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Wednesday, March 26.
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Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders: Preview
The effects of the IPL mega auction are already being felt, with two of last season’s top-three teams beginning their campaigns with defeats. Kolkata Knight Riders were outplayed by Royal Challengers Bangalore’s spin attack at Eden Gardens, while Rajasthan Royals—often known for strong starts—were overwhelmed by Sunrisers Hyderabad’s batting firepower in Uppal.
Historically, RR and KKR have played out closely contested matches, and as they clash in Guwahati, both will be desperate to secure their first points of the season. However, they also have their fair share of concerns to address.
Guwahati has been an occasional home ground for Rajasthan Royals (RR) since 2023, but they’ve found little to cheer about here. RR have lost two of their three games at this venue, while a fourth was a washout. But come Wednesday, there’ll be a different buzz because the city’s own Riyan Parag will captain RR—a historic occasion for the player and his state, Assam.
Parag, however, has plenty to think about, especially after RR nearly conceded the highest IPL total of all time against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). The retained trio of Sanju Samson, Dhruv Jurel, and Shimron Hetmyer provided the firepower with the bat on a flat deck, and rookie Shubham Dubey impressed as well. But when the bowlers leaked runs, Parag found himself out of options.
He is designated as an all-rounder and sees himself as one, yet he did not bowl against SRH—even though he did try an over of Nitish Rana’s occasional offspin. RR lacked a genuine all-rounder who could serve as their fifth or sixth bowler without compromising their batting depth. At 23 years and 133 days, Riyan Parag became the fourth-youngest captain in IPL history when he led RR against SRH. The only players younger than him to captain an IPL team are Virat Kohli (22y 187d), Steven Smith (22y 344d), and Suresh Raina (23y 112d).
This isn’t an issue on good days, and RR have reached the playoffs in two of the last three seasons with a similar team balance. But on bad days, it can leave them with nowhere to turn. A shuffle—such as finding a place for Wanindu Hasaranga or Parag trusting himself to bowl—could be the answer as RR’s bowling unit tries to regain confidence.
For RR, their bowlers might find Guwahati a more forgiving venue. The shiny black-soil pitch produced middling totals last year, and even if it’s a flat one this time, it’s almost certain that the bowlers will find more assistance than they did in Hyderabad. Regardless of the conditions, their pacers will want to be more consistent with the yorker, a length they failed to hit often enough in their defeat the other night. This will be a key focus area, especially after Jofra Archer returned figures of 0 for 76, the worst in IPL history.
Jofra Archer has struggled with consistency coming into IPL 2025. If he focuses on economy, wickets elude him; when he takes wickets, he concedes heavily. In the 2024-25 season, he averaged 34.75 with an economy rate of 9.26.
Wanindu Hasaranga’s wrong’un could be a key weapon for RR, as Andre Russell has struggled against googlies in the IPL since 2022, averaging just 9.25 and striking at 115.63. However, against traditional legbreaks, Russell has been far more effective, averaging 41.50 with a strike rate of 153.70, per ESPNcricinfo data. Not long ago, Wanindu Hasaranga was the world’s No. 1 T20I bowler in the ICC rankings, and he still holds the No. 4 spot. Since he isn’t carrying an injury, his exclusion against SRH was likely a tactical decision. RR might need to reconsider their approach and find a way to utilize him in their lineup.
Despite their defeats, both teams had some positives to take forward. For RR, Sanju Samson showed that his finger injury is only a hindrance while fielding, not while batting. Dhruv Jurel and Shubham Dubey also found the big hits, easing some of RR’s middle-order concerns.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the defending champions, have versatile all-rounders aplenty. The defeat in their season-opener against Royal Challengers Bengaluru won’t shift them from their 2024 template, but their experienced middle and lower-middle order—consisting of Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, and Ramandeep Singh—contributed very little as KKR endured a below-par finish with the bat.
Like RR’s bowlers against SRH, this issue won’t persist every game for KKR, but if it happens twice in a row, it could put them in early trouble, with Mumbai Indians awaiting them at the Wankhede next.
KKR’s much-hyped lower-middle order crumbled against RCB’s relatively modest spin attack, a weakness that opponents will no doubt look to exploit. It’s imperative, then, that Sunil Narine bats deeper into the innings. Could he be pushed lower down the order? A reshuffle in the batting lineup could be on the cards, especially since Ajinkya Rahane, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, and Ramandeep Singh all prefer pace on the ball. Their strike rates dip notably against spin, a slight vulnerability in an otherwise power-packed batting lineup. After the defeat, captain Rahane even admitted that the team management is open to sending Rinku higher up the order, considering how he didn’t get enough balls to face last season.
For KKR, Sunil Narine and Ajinkya Rahane looked in sublime touch with the bat, providing some encouragement despite their struggles lower down the order. Adding an extra layer of intrigue to the contest is Nitish Rana’s return—after scoring 2,199 runs for KKR between 2018 and 2024 and serving as vice-captain, he was not among the six players retained following last season’s title win. Instead, Rajasthan Royals secured his services for INR 4.20 crore.
Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders: Head-to-head
KKR and RR have won 14 matches each in their head-to-head encounters. However, two of those games ended in ties, with RR edging out victories in the Super Over. Their clash in Guwahati last season was washed out, but earlier that year, RR pulled off a thrilling last-ball chase of 224 at Eden Gardens, powered by Jos Buttler’s unbeaten century, which overshadowed Sunil Narine’s blistering 109 off 56 balls.
- Matches Played: 29
- Won by Rajasthan Royals: 14 (including 2 Super Over wins)
- Won by Kolkata Knight Riders: 14
- Tied: 0
- No Result: 1
- First-ever Fixture: May 1, 2008
- Most-recent Fixture: May 19, 2024 (Washed out)
Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders: Pitch Report and Weather Conditions
The last time RR and KKR were set to clash in Guwahati, rain had the final say, but Wednesday’s forecast looks clear. The Barsapara Stadium has been a paradise for batters, with three IPL scores in the 190s. India once posted 237/3 here, while South Africa responded with 221/3, hinting that Guwahati could witness its first 200-plus IPL total this time.
The conditions will bring heat, humidity, and possibly more support for KKR despite it being an away fixture. In the lone IPL match played here last year, seamers found success with changes in pace, and spinners were effective as well. Since no T20s have been played at the venue since then, a bit of unpredictability lingers. However, history suggests an advantage for teams batting first, with two of the three IPL games here won by the side setting a target. The Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati has seen an average first-innings score of 180 in IPL matches.
Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders: Team News and Predicted XI
Rajasthan Royals – Team News
Sanju Samson, still recovering from finger surgery, will continue as Rajasthan Royals’ Impact Player. Riyan Parag, despite a challenging start to his captaincy tenure, will lead the side once again. Despite Jofra Archer’s record-worst IPL figures of 0 for 76 against SRH, RR is unlikely to drop him, though they might consider bringing in Akash Madhwal for his yorker-bowling skills.
Given KKR’s Sunil Narine’s strength against spin in the powerplay, RR could opt for Wanindu Hasaranga over Maheesh Theekshana. Additionally, Kumar Kartikeya’s left-arm spin could be an option, especially after Krunal Pandya’s success against KKR’s middle order. Kartikeya’s recent form in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he finished as the second-highest wicket-taker, adds to his case.
Rajasthan Royals – Predicted XI
- Sanju Samson
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Riyan Parag (capt)
- Nitish Rana
- Dhruv Jurel (wk)
- Shimron Hetmyer
- Shubham Dubey
- Jofra Archer
- Maheesh Theekshana/Wanindu Hasaranga
- Sandeep Sharma
- Fazalhaq Farooqi
- Tushar Deshpande/Akash Madhwal.
Kolkata Knight Riders – Team News
KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane reaffirmed his trust in the team’s relatively inexperienced fast-bowling unit after their loss on Saturday. While an unchanged XI seems likely, Anrich Nortje could be a potential replacement for Spencer Johnson if KKR prioritizes pace and short balls over swing. With all players reportedly available, selection decisions may hinge on the conditions.
KKR’s bowlers face a tough challenge against RR’s batting lineup, which, apart from Shimron Hetmyer, is generally comfortable against spin. Additionally, RR has the firepower to exploit inexperience in KKR’s pace attack, as seen in RCB’s successful run chase. In their previous match, KKR paired Spencer Johnson’s left-arm angle with Vaibhav Arora’s swing, but both proved expensive, forcing Varun Chakaravarthy into an early powerplay role—something he did just four times last season. If fully fit, Nortje could offer a more experienced option to strengthen KKR’s bowling attack.
Kolkata Knight Riders – Predicted XI
- Quinton de Kock (wk)
- Sunil Narine
- Ajinkya Rahane (capt)
- Venkatesh Iyer
- Angkrish Raghuvanshi
- Rinku Singh
- Andre Russell
- Ramandeep Singh
- Harshit Rana
- Spencer Johnson/Anrich Nortje
- Varun Chakravarthy
- Vaibhav Arora
Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders: Players To Watch Out For
Dhruv Jurel (Rajasthan Royals)
Dhruv Jurel’s 35-ball 70 against SRH justified RR’s decision to retain him before the auction and highlighted why he is India’s current backup wicketkeeper in T20Is despite stiff competition. With RR needing stability between their top order and lower-order power-hitters, his role at No. 5 is crucial.
He has excelled against pace, boasting a strike rate of 162.56, but his scoring rate drops to 123.76 against spin. Against SRH, he fell to Adam Zampa and managed just three runs off seven balls against the legspinner. How will he handle the dual challenge of Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy?
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (Kolkata Knight Riders)
Last year, Rahmanullah Gurbaz topped the run charts at the T20 World Cup, earned a spot as an opener in the ICC’s ODI Team of the Year, and proved to be an excellent replacement for Phil Salt in the playoffs and final of KKR’s title-winning campaign. Despite his performances, KKR opted for Quinton de Kock as their first-choice wicketkeeper-opener this season.
With a poor run of form since his international retirement, de Kock needs to capitalize on this opportunity. IPL 2024 was his second-worst season, averaging just 22.72 in 11 games, while he managed only 159 runs in 10 innings at the SA20. Given that KKR already has an unpredictable opener in Sunil Narine, they will be hoping for some consistency from de Kock at the top.
Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders: Prediction
Scenario 1
- Toss: Rajasthan Royals win the toss and bowl
- Powerplay Score: 45-55
- Kolkata Knight Riders Total: 190-200
- Match Result: Rajasthan Royals win the match
Scenario 2
- Toss: Kolkata Knight Riders win the toss and bowl
- Powerplay Score: 50-60
- Rajasthan Royals Total: 200-210
- Match Result: Kolkata Knight Riders win the match
When and Where To Watch Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders LIVE? Broadcast and Streaming Details
The Indian Premier League 2025 clash between Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders is set to begin at 7:30 PM IST on Wednesday, March 25, at Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati. 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: IPL 2025: Ashutosh Shines as DC Pull Off Thrilling One-Wicket Win Over LSG
FAQs
What is the head-to-head record between Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL?
Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders have faced each other 29 times in the IPL, with both teams winning 14 matches each. Two of RR’s wins came via Super Over, while one game ended with no result.
How has Jofra Archer performed in IPL 2025 so far?
Jofra Archer has struggled with form, conceding 76 runs in his last match—the worst figures in IPL history. In the 2024-25 season, he averaged 34.75 with an economy rate of 9.26.
Why is Sanju Samson playing as an Impact Player for Rajasthan Royals?
Sanju Samson is still recovering from finger surgery, which limits his ability to field. However, he continues to contribute effectively with the bat as RR’s Impact Player.
Will Kolkata Knight Riders make any changes to their playing XI?
KKR is expected to retain the same XI, but Anrich Nortje could replace Spencer Johnson if they opt for more pace and short-ball tactics instead of swing.
What are the pitch conditions at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati?
The Barsapara Stadium is a high-scoring venue with an average first-innings IPL score of 180. Teams batting first have won two out of three IPL matches played here.
