RR vs KKR Match Prediction: With the first round of IPL 2025 over, it’s time for the second round. In Guwahati, Rajasthan Royals host Kolkata Knight Riders with both sides aiming for their first win. Rajasthan were handed a heavy beating by Sunrisers Hyderabad while Royal Challengers Bengaluru demolished Kolkata at the Eden Gardens. With those heavy defeats, both teams have sunk to the bottom of the IPL Points Table due to poor Net Run Rate. Guwahati could offer a chance to erase that NRR deficit.
For Rajasthan, Riyan Parag will be the captain again, on his home ground, as Sanju Samson continues to recover from finger surgery. He will be the Impact Player and will play solely as a batter.
Match Details
- Teams: Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders
- Match Number: 6th Match of IPL 2025
- Date: March 26, 2025
- Time: 7:30 PM IST
- Venue: Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati
Barsapara Cricket Stadium Pitch Report
Guwahati’s Barsapara Cricket Stadium offers a batting-friendly surface. Typically providing a flat track, it allows batsmen to flourish. The average first-innings scores here hover between 180-190 runs. The short boundaries and the presence of dew during night matches mean bowlers will have a bad day again.
However, with the early swing on offer, pacers could have some early purchase. But the pitch is generally skewed in favour of batsmen as the match progresses. With limited assistance for spinners, variations will be key for bowlers to succeed. Given the stadium’s track record, the team winning the toss might prefer to bowl first, leveraging the dew to ease their chase.
RR vs KKR Head-to-Head Records
- Total Matches Played: 30 (since IPL 2008)
- Rajasthan Royals Wins: 14
- Kolkata Knight Riders Wins: 14
- No Result/Abandoned: 2
- Recent Form (Last 5 Matches): RR has dominated with 3 wins to KKR’s 1, and one match was abandoned.
RR vs KKR Predicted Playing XI
Hungry for the W
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) March 26, 2025pic.twitter.com/OPy74hyB2R
Rajasthan Royals
Despite the heavy beating in the first match, Rajasthan are unlikely to make any changes to their line-up. Sanju Samson will play as an Impact Player. However, RR could think about having Wanindu Hasaranga in the RR Playing XI instead of Maheesh Theekshana. Jofra Archer will stay put despite bowling the most expensive spell of IPL history against SRH. His pace and swing could help Rajasthan in Guwahati.
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Sanju Samson
- Riyan Parag (c)
- Nitish Rana
- Dhruv Jurel (wk)
- Shimron Hetmyer
- Shubham Dubey
- Jofra Archer
- Sandeep Sharma
- Tushar Deshpande
- Fazalhaq Farooqi
- Impact Player: Maheesh Theekshana/Wanindu Hasaranga
For the Gold standard in glorious Purple
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) March 26, 2025pic.twitter.com/yhKDw6F9SO
Kolkata Knight Riders
KKR also had a heavy defeat against RCB in the first match. However, that will not force KKR to make drastic changes to the line-up. The only change could be a swap between Spencer Johnson and Anrich Nortje.
- Sunil Narine
- Quinton de Kock (wk)
- Ajinkya Rahane (c)
- Venkatesh Iyer
- Angkrish Raghuvanshi
- Rinku Singh
- Andre Russell
- Ramandeep Singh
- Harshit Rana
- Varun Chakravarthy
- Vaibhav Arora
- Impact Player: Spencer Johnson/Anrich Nortje
RR vs KKR Probable Best Performers
Rajasthan Royals
- Yashasvi Jaiswal: With solid performances in Guwahati, Jaiswal is expected to spearhead RR’s batting, exploiting the friendly conditions.
- Jofra Archer: Despite a tough start, Archer’s potential for pace and bounce makes him a formidable threat.
- Dhruv Jurel: Coming off an impressive outing, Jurel’s current form cements his position as a game-changer for RR.
Kolkata Knight Riders
- Sunil Narine: Narine’s dual prowess both with the bat and ball remains pivotal. His enigmatic spin could unsettle RR’s middle order.
- Andre Russell: Known for his explosive capabilities, Russell’s all-round performance is crucial for KKR’s success.
- Rinku Singh: A specialist in pressure situations, Rinku’s finishing skills can prove decisive in tight scenarios.
RR vs KKR Match Prediction
With both teams hungry for victory, this encounter promises intensity and drama. Rajasthan Royals might hold a marginal advantage due to their recognition of Guwahati’s conditions and the strength of their batting lineup, featuring top performers like Jaiswal, Samson, and Hetmyer. Their pace attack, led by Archer, Deshpande, and Farooqi, is well-equipped to exploit any early-pitch movement. KKR’s strong spin duo of Narine and Chakravarthy, alongside their power-packed batting, ensures a robust challenge.
Taking into account current form, head-to-head stats, and venue specifics, Rajasthan Royals could clinch this match by a narrow margin, possibly either chasing down or defending a high score. Expect a high-scoring spectacle where no outcome is guaranteed until the final over.
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