Virat Kohli and Andy Flower in discussion during practice at the Eden Gardens © Getty Not since Brendon McCullum’s 158* has the IPL opening night promised a storm quite like the one that’s in store for the 2025 season. Quite literally too. There’s an Orange Alert in place for the match-day in Kolkata, which could mean more rain than there’s been in the lead-up, stronger winds, and even a thunderstorm. But if there’s one thing the city knows how to do, it’s turning chaos into celebration. Rain never stopped a Pujo and it won’t stop thousands from streaming into Eden Gardens, where the IPL opening ceremony returns for the first time since 2015. But that said, this is cricket and is far more of a slave to the whims of the sky. Sometimes, all it takes is one stubborn wet patch to derail the night but let’s not speak of such things. The big covers at Eden exist for a reason, and the groundsmen are already busy figuring out how to shield the outfield from rain. And their covers from the heels of dancers. The opening ceremony is set to begin 45 minutes before the toss but expect real frills and thrills once the cricket starts. There’s always an extra edge when KKR and RCB face off, no matter where in the world. And this is Eden, a ground with a penchant for both magic and meltdowns. It’s where RCB were bowled out for 49, still the lowest total in IPL history. It’s where Sunil Narine is most frequently seen batting like a man possessed, and where a seething Virat Kohli once lost his cool over a no-ball height call. Add to that Andre Russell’s fireworks, Varun Chakaravarthy’s mystery, and the baggage of past drama, you begin to get a sense of how much this fixture carries. What makes it even more intriguing is that Eden is barely a fortress anymore. Since 2023, KKR have won just 50% of their home games, the exact same as RCB’s record at the Chinnaswamy. That is part of what makes this match-up compelling: two dangerous but vulnerable sides, brimming with firepower, both eager to launch a new three-year cycle on the right note. KKR boast the stronger spin unit; RCB, the more experienced pace attack. The question isn’t who has the better side; it’s whose strengths will rise to the surface when the music fades and the cricket begins. No wonder Andy Flower, RCB’s head coach, called the prospect of playing KKR at Eden “daunting… for Kolkata,” before breaking into a wide grin. And that’s the thing about opening nights. They rarely follow the script. The sky may yet have its say but if it doesn’t for long enough, this could be one of those nights Eden doesn’t forget in a hurry. When: KKR v RCB, Match 1, on March 22, 2025 at 7:30 pm IST Where: Eden Gardens, Kolkata What to expect: A wet ball, which could be one of the central characters of the night, be it from the dew, the forecasted rain or a bit of saliva slipping its way back into cricket. Also expect ample airtime for Eden Gardens’ famously large white covers. The night temperature is predicted to dip by 4-5 degrees, which could mean heavier dew and the new playing conditions around ball-change in the second innings could be put to test immediately. And then there’s the pitch, which is expected to be flat, fast and full of runs. Since the IPL returned to the home-away format in 2023, Eden Gardens has been the highest-scoring venue in the league, with a staggering scoring rate of 9.98 runs per over, the most for any ground with at least three games. Recent head-to-head: Since the start of the UAE leg of IPL 2021, KKR have dominated this rivalry, winning six of their last seven matches against RCB. But things even out at Eden Gardens, where the last four meetings between these two have produced two wins each. Team Watch Kolkata Knight Riders Injuries/availability: Anrich Nortje returns after a back injury ruled him out of the SA20 and the Champions Trophy but, as rain washed out both teams’ training sessions on match eve, there was little to note about his match readiness. The bigger question, though, is whether there’s a spot for him in the XI at all. You’d think Spencer Johnson, with his left-arm angle and the variety he offers, might edge ahead especially considering Nortje’s modest IPL record outside of the UAE. Tactics & matchups: Mitchell Starc’s presence last season allowed KKR to backload the overs from Chakaravarthy, who bowled just four in the PowerPlay in 2024 as compared to 16 in 2023. With no Starc this time and limited experience in the new-ball department, KKR may be forced to frontload their spinners once again to compensate for the lack of early-impact seam options. Probable XII: Sunil Narine, Quinton de Kock (wk), Ajinkya Rahane (c), Venkatesh Iyer, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Ramandeep Singh, Spencer Johnson, Vaibhav Arora, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy Royal Challengers Bengaluru Injuries/availability: Jacob Bethell and Josh Hazlewood underwent fitness tests two days out from the match and both appeared to hold their own during practice. Hazlewood bowled a short spell, not quite at full tilt but with a decent rhythm and a full run-up. Head coach Andy Flower also sounded confident about the shape of his bowling attack, one that notably included Hazlewood. Tactics & matchups: Spin could be the key against an RCB line-up that can be tied down by quality spin. There are two notable exceptions in Rajat Patidar, whose strike rate against spin shoots up nearly 40 points to 197, and Jitesh Sharma, who strikes at around 145 against both pace and spin with equal comfort. Kohli, on the other hand, has been far more circumspect despite having a breakout season against spin last year. He strikes at just 103 against Narine and has fallen to him four times. Against Chakaravarthy, the number drops further to 102.5, though he’s only been dismissed once. Probable XII: Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal, Suyash Sharma/Rasikh Dar Salam Did you know? This is the second instance of KKR playing RCB in an IPL season opener after having done so in the inaugural edition in 2008 There have been 12 200+ totals at Eden in just the last two seasons, compared to only 10 such scores until 2022 Ajinkya Rahane was both the leading run-getter and Player of the Tournament in SMAT 2024-25 in Mumbai’s title-winning run What they said “I did well in the last tournament but still IPL is a different beast and I very well know what’s coming my way and I have to be on my toes.” – Varun Chakaravarthy “I hope it is an El Clasico tomorrow night. That’ll be a brilliant way to start IPL 2025!” – Andy Flower
