Kolkata Knight Riders Aim for Playoff Spot Against Rajasthan Royals in Crucial IPL 2025 Clash
The defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are determined to secure a spot in the IPL 2025 playoffs, with their fate hanging on the outcome of their remaining four matches. Their journey begins with a crucial home fixture against the already-eliminated Rajasthan Royals (RR) at Eden Gardens on Sunday afternoon.
Sitting in seventh place on the points table, KKR’s task is far from easy. Their home form has been disappointing, with only one win from five matches. The team has struggled with consistency, particularly in the batting department, where Rinku Singh and Venkatesh Iyer have not been in their best form. The opening combination has also lacked stability throughout the season.
Adding to KKR’s challenges, captain Ajinkya Rahane is nursing a hand injury sustained during their 14-run win over Delhi Capitals (DC) earlier this week. However, Rahane is expected to be fit in time for the game on Sunday. On a positive note, KKR’s bowling unit has been a silver lining, with spin duo Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy showing strong performances, including a standout display by Narine in the win against Delhi.
Meanwhile, RR’s season has already ended in disappointment, as they have been eliminated from the playoff race following a series of poor results, including a heavy 100-run loss to Mumbai Indians (MI). However, as Rahane mentioned during the Star Sports press room show on Friday, RR can still be dangerous opponents, especially with nothing to lose in the remaining matches.
RR’s struggles this season have stemmed from a lack of depth in both their batting and bowling departments, further exacerbated by a long-term injury to regular skipper Sanju Samson. Despite these setbacks, young talents like 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal have shown promise with the bat. However, experienced players like Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, and Shimron Hetmyer have failed to find their rhythm.
RR’s bowling attack has also been underwhelming, with key bowlers like Jofra Archer and Maheesh Theekshana struggling with consistency. Despite their struggles, Rajasthan will be playing without the pressure of playoff hopes, making them a potentially unpredictable opponent for KKR, who are in desperate need of a win to stay in the hunt for a playoff spot.
With the intensity of the IPL 2025 playoff race increasing with every passing match, KKR will look to capitalize on their home advantage and secure a vital victory.
Match Details
When: Sunday, May 4 at 3:30 PM IST
Where: Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Where to Watch: Live telecast on Star Sports Network and live streaming on JioHotstar
Squads
Kolkata Knight Riders:
Ajinkya Rahane (c), Rinku Singh, Quinton de Kock (wk), Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakaravarthy, Rovman Powell, Manish Pandey, Harshit Rana, Luvnith Sisodia, Venkatesh Iyer, Anukul Roy, Moeen Ali, Ramandeep Singh, Andre Russell, Anrich Nortje, Vaibhav Arora, Mayank Markande, Spencer Johnson, and Chetan Sakariya.
Rajasthan Royals:
Sanju Samson (c), Riyan Parag, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Nitish Rana, Shimron Hetmyer, Jofra Archer, Shubham Dubey, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Kunal Singh Rathore, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Sandeep Sharma, Tushar Deshpande, Akash Madhwal, Kumar Kartikeya, Kwena Maphaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Fazalhaq Farooqi, and Ashok Sharma.
